The Fourth Quarter Quell
by Ellii101
Summary: What if Peeta and Katniss never made it to President Snow's mansion? What if they were betrayed by the tiger-faced woman?  Now, the Hunger Games have continued and Satin has been Reaped...
1. Prologue

A bead of sweat drips down my forehead. Three of us left, and I didn't know how long I could last for. My backpack hangs off my arm. It was completely empty; my quick escape hadn't allowed me to take much.

The shade of the surrounding trees protects me for a while, but soon I break through them. In front of me, is a large clearing with a beckoning pond in the centre, surrounded by large rocks. My eyes survey the area, looking for immediate threats.

At the far end, I detect a small movement. A figure darts out from amongst the bushes.

Immediately I recognise her; Katniss Everdeen.

The Mockingjay symbol. Her single defiant action meant the deaths of thousands upon thousands of innocent people. Many were my own friends. Always being assisted by her puppy-dog-like 'lover' Peeta. Too bad he wasn't here to protect her now.

I force myself to walk towards her, the backpack banging against my shin. As I approach her, I can see that she's injured- the blood covering her pale face alone would have told me that- and she's completely defenseless. My lips form a sly smirk that I turn into a sign of friendship as we near each other, both headed for the crystal clear pond.

"Katniss... You look terrible!" I pretend to be shocked, appalled even. My green eyes open wide and I reach into the pack to retrieve my empty bottle.

"I feel it too," she admits, the strain in her voice ringing clear in my head. If she was in this bad a position, it wouldn't take much to kill her, to be one step closer to the title 'Victor'.

I reach the pool first and take seat on a smaller rock only inches from the water. I prop the bottle up against a rock to fill it, and pull out the small vial of iodine from the front pocket of the tattered backpack. Just as Katniss reaches me, I remove the bottle from the pond before adding seven drops of iodine.

"I don't want to have to kill you," I whisper. It's a lie; I want to kill her, I need to kill her, of course I do.

"You could always wait for Caleb to come and hunt you down. There's no way you'll win anyway," she gives a weak smile. Her comment was meant to intimidate me, something that failed greatly.

"I'm not that stupid. I want to go home," I whine, using a phrase I remember the very same girl saying not two years ago. She remembers it too, judging by the way she tenses.

"So do I. Not that I have anyone or anything to go home to. I just don't want to die here, I'm dying in District Twelve," she scowls.

I decide that the time had come. I fiddle with the ring on my left index finger, spinning the jewel backwards and forwards. Her hand lies palm down on the rock next to mine and I lift it and plunge the spike that protrudes the jewel into her hand.

"What... was that?" she asks, pain and surprise showing in her grey eyes. She starts to tremble, falling to her knees and clutching her hand. I watch and twist the jewel again.

"That," I snarl, "was from my aunt. Glimmer will meet you in Hell, Katniss Everdeen. And you'll get everything you deserve."

Scowling one last time, Katniss collapses from the Ricin poison in her blood. A few moments later, she's lying in a pathetic heap on the ground. In the distance a cannon booms.  
>I begin to walk away, to allow the hovercraft to dispose of her lifeless body. As I do, I think of two things and immediately spin round. I flip her body over and remove the brown backpack from her back. In her left hand, the one that I couldn't see before, was a knife. We'd obviously both had the same idea.<p>

I stand up and smirk, "I'm nothing like your dead sister, Katniss. Prim would be dead in mere hours."

The hovercraft appears just as I dart back into the trees. "Watch out Caleb... I'm coming for you..." I smile.


	2. Chapter 1

My fingers link with Mother's as we walk quickly to the District Centre. District One at its most beautiful, if you ask my opinion. The sides of the pentagon shape are lined with shops, selling everything from gorgeous clothes to rich, delicious chocolate. The jewellery is my favourite, especially the necklaces.

"You'll be fine..." I whisper to myself, "One slip of paper in thousands. The odds are definitely in your favour. It'll be someone else, and even if it is you, someone will volunteer." My grip tightens.

"You're talking to yourself? You know that's the first sign of madness, Silk. I can't have a mad sister, you must realise that," Satin smirks. She's three years older than me, and thinks she knows absolutely everything there is to know about absolutely everything.

"Satin!" chides Mother, "Don't talk to your sister like that." She sighs, her normally cheerful face falling, "It's the Reaping day, please don't fight."

"What would you do if you were chosen, Satin? What if you said something really mean to Silk, and never had the chance to apologise for it?" Father asks. He always talks to us like we're still kids.

"Thanks Father... So, you're saying you think I'd be killed?" she shoots back, "I wouldn't. I'd win, and gain immense wealth and spend it all on myself."

"All right then; what would you do if Silk was Reaped?" he asks, and my eyes open wide. He told me there was no chance I'm going to be picked today. Now he was saying I might?

"I'd Volunteer, then win. Come home and spend all the money on myself," she says triumphantly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Toby, stop messing with them... Satin, stop being mean to your sister. Silk, you won't be picked. It's almost thirty thousand to one."

I know she's right. The thousands of twelve-to-eighteen-year-olds in our District put together have far more than me. It's highly unlikely Satin or I will be chosen. But I suppose that's what they all say, before they're thrown into an arena with twenty-three ruthless killing machines and then murdered in cold blood.

Satin smirks and shakes her head. Her blonde hair is exactly the same colour as mine, and our eyes are the same too.  
>"Strange girl... I'll see you later. I told Glamour I'd meet her at ten and it's nearly five to," she tells us over her shoulder as she walks away.<p>

The only thing that is different about Satin and I is or height. She's like Emerald, in the fact that she's so tall- almost 5'10- whereas I am one of the shortest twelve-year-olds in school, being only 4'6.

"Satin!" Mother calls, before sighing. "Reaping day is family time," she adds quietly, hanging her head.

"Come on Silk... Just let go!" Father pulls me away from Mother and directs me to a Peacekeeper.

He shows me to a roped off area filled with trembling twelve-year-olds. I slip in amongst them, and train my eyes on the ground, rubbing my arms in attempt to banish the cold chill that has settled over us all.

I don't look at the Podium in front of me. It's looked the same every year since I can remember; Mayor Versity sat in the middle, his cue cards in his hands, sitting next to our Capitol escort. He's tall, thin and looks something like a tree, with his tanned skin and hazel-coloured hair. Satin loves him, even though she tries to deny it. On either side of them, are the previous Victors in the shape of a crescent, the current Mentors nearest the centre. The glass domes stand at the front, half-full with threats of death.

The clock behind me chimes ten, signalling the start of our Reaping. Mayor Versity stands and walks to the microphone. He drones on with his Capitol-written speech before adding the list of previous Victors, both living and dead.

Usually after completing his speech, he sits back in his chair. But then, he begins clearing his throat.  
>"This year, to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the Hunger Games, all Tributes will be aged between twelve and eighteen, and related to the current Mentors. Thank you," he nods at the crowd before sitting down.<p>

A murmur of shock and relief goes through the crowd. All related to the current Mentors? So that means most of us are safe?

Aldo Archwick stands and walks to the podium, pulling out his own cue cards.  
>"The girls eligible for the Reaping, are Silk Magee and Satin Magee. The boys eligible for the Reaping, are Marble Magee and Slate, Steel and Chesnut Anderson." He pauses to place his card back into his shirt pocket, "Would the eligible Tributes please step forward."<p>

My jaw drops and my heart pounds. Could fate be so cruel? The others are gawking at me, and I snap into action.

"Satin!" I call, pushing my way out of the tightly grouped children. I repeat her name as we draw closer. We stand together, our hands linked.

"I'm going in," she says firmly, shaking her head when I open my mouth to protest, "I want to win. I'm going to win."

I don't argue. We wait for the boys to assemble in a line beside us. There are the three brothers and our cousin. How would Satin cope if she had to kill Marble?

"Ladies first..." Aldo's hand reaches into the glass balls- which are still just as full as they would be on any other year- and pulls out a piece of folded paper. His voice rings out clear.

"Satin Magee."


	3. Chapter 2

**Silk's POV**

"Satin!" I yell. Marble's hands grip my shoulders as I pull towards her, my arms clawing through the air, trying to reach her.

"Silk, no!" he tries to stop me, "Don't volunteer!"

"Satin!" I cry. "I Volunteer!" I choke out, instantly regretting it.

"No Silk!" Marble hisses in my ear, "She wants to go in."

I can tell by the tears in her eyes, she obviously doesn't want to go out there. She dropped my hand when her name was called and now her entire body is trembling. I hate the effect these Games have on people; even my strong, big-headed sister is reduced to tears.

"No, she doesn't, no-one does," I hiss back. My lips form the words again, as I repeat what may be a sure death sentence, "I Volunteer!"

"Brilliant! You must be Silk Magee, the girl's sister. Well, come on up and welcome our newest Tribute, Silk Magee!" Aldo chimes as I mount the stage, my own body shaking this time. "Give her a big District One round of applause!"

For a few moments, the crowd is silent. But then Satin raises her hands and slowly starts an applause, continued by Marble and then the rest of the possible Tributes. It ripples through the District Centre, a steady applause. It's not fair that a twelve year old is sent to her almost-certain death and they know it. Plus, the idea of having such a Tribute like me in the arena, bringing down the long respected name of District One, is outrageous.

When the clapping ceases, a smile returns to Aldo's face, "Gentlemen second."  
>His hand dips into the second glass sphere, and returns with a piece of paper folded in half. "Steel Anderson."<p>

My heart sinks; the son of the carpenter. The odds of me staying alive have just decreased to near non-existence. I take in his sly smirk and height as he strides on to the stage. He towers over me, at a mighty 6'1, his mock-patronizing smile does nothing but make me hate him even more.

"Any volunteers?" Aldo calls, and by the tone of his voice he doesn't expect there to be any. It's not only his menacing size that makes Steel a perfect Victor, but also the fact that he's worked as carpenter for most of his life, and therefore knows exactly how to handle a lot of heavy weapons.

There is complete and utter silence.

After the District claps for Steel, we shake hands. His hands are tough and his grip is strong. My hand is almost squashed, something he clearly did deliberately. When the Peacekeepers march us into the Justice Building, I am left rubbing it and scowling at him.

I lied earlier on when I said the Centre is the most beautiful part of One. It isn't; that honour goes to the Justice Building. As I sit in my own closed off room, ready for final goodbyes, I run my fingers along the beautiful paintings that hang around the room.

Unsurprisingly, my first visitor is Satin. She opens the door and shakes off her Peacekeeper escort. Her lips form a small smile as I drop what I'm doing to run to her. We sit on the floor for the allocated time, talking about our memories, of school, of the clothes shop Mother and Father own. Not once do we mention the future, and for that I am glad, so not a single tear falls from my eye.

But when a Peacekeeper pulls her to her feet, and pushes her to the door, she calls out, "You win it for me, okay? You win for me!"

I put on a determined mask, and nod, choking back a sob. The door shuts momentarily before my parents enter. Mother's face is like a storm, Father's only slightly softer.

"You shouldn't have volunteered, Silk," he whispers, his head hanging low.

"I know. You don't need to tell me that. I'm going to die in an arena at the hands of some merciless teenager I've never met, who'll probably be killed by yet another blood-thirsty murderer!" A tear trickles down my cheek, as my distressed thoughts tumble from my lips.

We stand in silence. Not once do we touch, apart from a final hug from Mother, as she walks from the room. Father stays for longer, and as he leaves, he even kisses the top of my head, "You can win this Silk. Stay by Steel and he'll get you through this. Don't leave his side."

I nod and our fingertips brush as he leaves the room. I know it is the last time I'll ever see him again.

**Satin's POV**

I step outside for a second to breath, before returning to the Justice Building. Not much justice happening here today. My two favourite people, condemned to death before my eyes. Instead of going to Silk's room, I go to the one next door, where I know Steel is awaiting visitors.

When I eventually persuade the young Peacekeeper to allow me entry, (it took a whole lot of flirting, I'll tell you that!) and I push the door open, Steel's eyes flick up. His face softens as he sees me, but I waste no time.

"I'll cut the chase," I start, "You protect my sister. You do whatever you can to protect her from whatever despicable things are in there. I want her home, and if she dies, I want you to have done everything you can to have stopped that from happening. I want her to come home, no matter what."

Throughout the whole thing, Steel's face becomes harder and harder. "No. I'm coming home. I can't let her get in my way of getting ho-,"

"That's not good enough!" I yell. "I want my little sister home, and if you get back after not doing absolutely _everything_ you can to help her survive, I swear on Mum's life, I will kill you myself. I don't care what happens to me because if she goes down, so do you. Are we clear?"

A smirk crosses his face, "We are indeed. I'll try my hardest."

"Good," I smile, dropping the demanding persona, turning to leave Steel, the person who had been my best friend since we were tiny, for hopefully the last time.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: It was only that last section written by Satin. The rest of the story will be Silk unless I say otherwise. (: 

My eyes are red and puffy by the time we reach the station. Emerald comforted me as I cried for the entire journey. Steel and Vinyl- the other Mentor- sat in silence, probably wishing I'd shut up.

More cameras are pointed at me as I stand in the doorway to the train, tear tracks still running down my cheeks. Steel waves and smiles to them and even gives a few cheeky winks to the young journalists, who are almost besides themselves. I wish I was more like him, confident but not quite arrogant.

We step inside and the doors to the train slide shut before we zoom towards the Capitol. Even at 250miles an hour, it'll take a good couple of days to get to the dictator city.

As Emerald shows me to my room, I look out of the window to see a glimpse of nature. It's so different from One; everything's so green and tranquil. I snap out of my stupid trance, and carry on down the narrow, rocking corridors until we reach what Emerald tells me is my room. She pushes the door open and I gasp.

"It's huge..." I whisper. It's bigger than the room Satin and I share by a long shot. The walls are a warm orange, that reminds me of home, and the cream carpet feels so soft under my bare feet. I took my shoes off when we entered the room, a rule I've used since I can remember.

"It's nothing on your room in the Training Centre. Wait until you see them!" Emerald squeals. Her immaturity and positivity amazes me, although I'm not sure it's a good thing. She is, after all, my only link with the outside world during the Games.

I give a weak smile as she tells me to put something on from the drawers, and be ready for dinner in a couple of hours. She leaves with a small wave and I sit down on the pale bedspread.

When I do eventually open the drawers, I am greeted by set after set of boring, skinny black leggings. In the drawer above are pairs of cotton shorts and tops. After much hassle, I eventually find a pair of pale blue shorts that almost fit me, and a pink top that fits perfectly.

The clock on the wall tells me its half five, and my nose tells me it's time for dinner. Without the help of Emerald, Steel, Vinyl or Aldo, I succeed in getting to the Dining Cart. It is the same size as my room, possibly slightly larger, and has navy blue velvet covering the seats, which I sit nervously on, wriggling my toes into the dark carpet.

The door slides open with a quiet zoom and Vinyl and Steel enter, Vinyl's arm draped round his younger brother's shoulder, laughing about something. I stand, my lips pursed. When Vinyl smirks at me, I raise my eyebrow mockingly.

"Is there something wrong with the fact that when an elder enters the room I stand?" I ask, placing a great deal of emphasis on the world 'elder'.

Steel laughs, and his brother- ever quick with a comeback- snaps "I'd rather be an elder than a naive little girl, who'll be dead in less than a month." Steel's lips seal shut as his laughter immediately cuts off.

Emerald clears her throat, "That's my niece you're talking about there, Vinyl. I'd shut that mouth of yours if I was you." She must have slipped in some time when one of us was talking; and her face was like a thunder storm.

"Sorry," mumbles Vinyl, although he clearly isn't.

"I'm glad to hear it," she states, walking to me and placing a hand on my shoulder. "Where's Aldo? I need something to eat."

"I'm here," Aldo smiles as he enters the car and sits down at the head of the table. "I thought it was the Tributes who were supposed to be at each other's throats, not the Mentors."

Emerald scowls at him before making her way over to the table, and sitting to the left of Aldo. I sit next to her with Steel opposite me and Vinyl next to him. A silent avox prisoner enters the car and pours a ladle of soup into each of our bowls.

"What is _this?_" I ask, frowning down at the thick liquid.

"A puréed carrot and pea soup," Aldo explains, shoveling a large spoonful into his mouth.

I gingerly slurp a small spoonful and I almost gag as it slides down my throat. "That's disgusting," I cough, wiping my arm on my sleeve.

"Silk! At least _try _to eat it!" Emerald hisses, sighing as she downs her soup quickly.

Whilst the others eat their soup, I sit and swing my legs, occasionally hitting Steel. I examine the car we sit in, taking in every part of the breath-taking beauty and elegance. The paintings show what I presume is the Capitol along with previous Presidents. Snow, Deluge and our current president, President Peragallo. His bright blue eyes glare from the painting as a chill washes over my body; it's almost as if he's watching my every move.

The avox taps my shoulder and I jump. His eyes say what his mouth cannot, as he extends his arm to ask if I was finished my soup. I nod yes, and he removes the bowl before placing a different dish in front of me, loaded with vegetables and roast chicken. Without waiting for the others, I tuck into it, glad to have something to stop my stomach from rumbling.

"So when can we start with the Sponsors?" Steel asks, his mouth full of chicken.

"Tomorrow; we'll get to the Capitol around noon and tomorrow night is the Tribute Parade. You'll shine like the stars I know you two can be, and we'll have Sponsors lining up around the block," Aldo smiles, and my heart lifts. At least someone besides my aunt has some faith in me.

We eat the remainder of our dinner almost in silence. Neither Steel nor I even attempt to make conversation, leaving the adults to do all of the talking. The chicken is followed by a course of cheese and crackers and finally a chocolate gateau with dark red cherries.

"That was delicious," Aldo thanks the waiters, who all nod respectfully before retreating from the car, back to the kitchen car. "Shall we go and see your competition?" he asks, standing and motioning for us to follow.

_"And finally District Twelve," Caesar Flickerman smiles on the TV screen, his perfect white teeth glittering. His image dissolves so we can see the run-down District Twelve._

_"Janna Snith!" the Twelve escort called from the stage, her bright pink curls bouncing at her shoulders. Effie Trinket's outfits get sillier every year, even for a Capitol woman._

_A tall girl stepped out of the crowd, her dark hair dirty, and her sunken grey eyes wide with terror. Nobody volunteers for her, but being the poorest District in existence, it isn't surprising._

_"Micha Snith!" Effie calls once the applause died down. An almost identical boy makes his way up to the stage, his head help high as he walks up the blackened steps._

"Twins," Vinyl smirks, "They'll be with each other constantly. Your first targets; if one dies, the other one will be gone within a few minutes. I've seen it time and time before."

I nod. A few Tributes stood out for me, especially the girl from Three. Steel had already announced he wanted the boy from Two as an ally, and the girls from Three, Four and Eight, much to my dismay. They'd obviously want him as an ally, rather than me.

I stand up, "Night everyone." The tears were surfacing in my eyes again, as I collapse on my bed, not bothering to change at all.


	5. Chapter 4

The thick, plush duvet bunches up around my sticky and sweaty feet. The images of my fierce adversaries swim round my head, and my dinner threatens to return. If only I'd let Satin enter these brutal games. If only it was her death being televised live on national television.

I find myself throwing the duvet off. My feet shuffle into my silk Reaping shoes before I open the door and pad down the rocking hallway to the carriage we ate in. Just as I go to push the door open to enter, my ears pick up voices and I freeze.

"You're asking me to choose between Silk, my niece, and Steel?" Emerald screeches, albeit quietly, clearly appalled.

"Yes. We can't have two victors. Remember that Katniss, Mockingjay girl and how much trouble she caused?" Aldo asks. The name gives me shudders, but I don't know why.

"Of course she does Aldo..." Vinyl sighs.

"Yes, I remember her," Emerald hisses, "I remember killing her with a ring, injected with Ricin poison. I was a murderer at thirteen years old."

I am unsure why that shocks me. She's told me time and time again that she'd won the Games twenty-four years ago at thirteen. I suppose it never occurred to me she'd actually had to kill someone to get home.

"Silk's perfectly capable of looking after herself; after all she has been going to the top training academy in One since she could walk. She's trained in knife throwing. She can hit a target twenty metres away ever time," Emerald boasts.

"Steel's a master with an axe. He could take Silk on any time, any day," the dragging of a chair signals Vinyl standing.

"She's my niece Vinyl! I'm not going to just give up on her like that!" Another chair scrapes along the floor as Emerald stands up.

"And Steel's my little brother! I'm not going to watch him die too! I was too late once, not again Emerald! Not again!" Vinyl's booming voice echoes down the carriages behind me, still rocking away.

"Calm down," Aldo's soothing voice drifts out to me. Unlike all the Capitol people who have visited District One or that we've seen on television, he doesn't appear to have a stupid accent. "We have to decide which one of the Tributes we are going to direct sponsors towards. I personally would prefer to work with Steel; he seems to have more of a physical advantage. People will see Silk as a weakling; she volunteered for her sister but then broke down in the car. Not something you really want to portray District One as. So I'm going to work towards setting about sponsors for Steel."

"A weakling?" Emerald yells, "She volunteered for Satin who looked like she was going to faint! She has a chance! People will see her as being strong enough to volunteer and intelligent to portray herself as being weak! My niece is _not _a weakling."

"You said it yourself. She can take care of herself. I'm all for directing towards Steel too," Vinyl smirks. I hate him. We never really got along; I've spent long enough with him to know that. But that fact he is basically condemning me to a painful death inside the arena, makes my blood boil.

"I'm tallying up her strengths. I didn't mean it literally. She's only a child, Aldo. She's twelve and now, thanks to you two, I'm going to lose my niece.. So thank you very much," Emerald hisses, sitting down.

I stand on tiptoes and peer in through the window at the top of the door. Aldo smiles and ploughs on, "Good, we're all on the same page. Now when are we going to tell them?"

"Tomorrow, at breakfast. Silk deserves to know that you're giving up on her," Emerald says bluntly.

I lower myself back down the balls of my feet and choke back a sob. My hand reaches out and I push open the door. "I heard what you said. Everything," I whisper as tears spring to my eyes. "I heard that you're going to focus on Steel and hope I survive by myself. I also heard you call me a weakling," my green eyes lock on Aldo, making him shift uncomfortably.

"Silk... We didn't want you to find out this way," Vinyl sighs.

"You don't need to say anything. I already know I'm considered weak. I know now and I'm going to tell Steel. He won't want to win this way, he won't want it to go this way either," I blink fiercely to banish the tears. I couldn't allow Aldo or Vinyl the satisfaction of seeing my crying again.

When I turn and walk from the room nobody tries to stop me. Not that I expected them to. I follow the swaying carriages back to my room and passed it to the room next door, which I know to be Steel's. The knock on the door is loud in the silent hallway and I hear Steel muttering and groaning to himself while shuffling to the door.

"What do you want" he asks bluntly. He looks down on me, something I find extremely patronising.

"Can I come in?" I ask, pushing my way past him after he grunts a yes. I sit on the edge of the bed and he kneels on the floor in front of me. It suddenly dawns on him who I am and where he is.

"Silk, what's wrong?" he asks, concern in his deep voice.

I open the floodgates and allow the water works to start. My body shakes from the tears as I attempt to choke out what I had heard, "They're... Everything... You... Die... Survive... Alone."

"Silk, calm down. Take a breath and start again. They're what?" he asks, taking my hand between his.

I swallow and take a deep breath. "Aldo said that since there can only be one Victor they should focus on one of us. Then he said something about some Katniss girl and Emerald said something about a ring. And she told Aldo about my knife throwing and then Vinyl said about your axe skills and then Aldo said that he'd prefer to work with you than me. So basically they're going to direct all sponsors towards you- because apparently I'm a weakling- and leave me to fend for myself in the arena," I say, all in one breath. The tears slow and I wipe my nose with the back of my hand.

Steel's face hardens, "They can't do that. The District would hate them, and Satin'd kill me." I frown, not quite understanding what he said about Satin.

"What do we do?" I ask quietly.

"We stick together. I'll tell them that I want you with me and if they don't do sponsors for you, I'll step off that metal plate. The boy from Two will want me dead, so will the girls from Four and Eight. We'll team up with them; act as the Careers we're supposed to be. We'll get through this. One of us is coming home," he explains.

"But it won't be me Steel... I already know that," I whisper to myself, standing to leave and allow him to sleep. He stands at the same time as me and moves to block the doorway. His arms open and I wrap around him, hugging my district partner, because we both know that we're simple victims of the Capitol, and we are powerless to stop it.


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: This is a special Chapter written so that you can read who the District One duo will be facing in the arena, written by the owner of a leading Betting Shop on his Blog.

Welcome to Battle Bets, the only place in all of Panem where we regularly update our odds on next victim, next killer, next method of death and final victor, among a range of other odds.

Well, my dear Capitol crowd, welcome to the 100th Hunger Games, also known as the Fourth Quarter Quell. What was this year's twist? All the Tributes sent into the arena are related to their current Mentors, as a warning that 'Power against the Capitol is not hereditary.'

So without further ado, let's get the low down on this year's Tributes! The odds were not in their favour...

First off, I'll start with One. Being the most prosperous District in Panem is a luxury; much like the items they supply us with jewels and gems, to materials like silk, which happens to be the name of our first female Tribute.

Born to the owners of a well-off clothes shop, Silk is much like her aunt and her aunt before her. Of course, I am talking about Emerald and Glimmer, both of whom entered the arena with the same jewelled ring for their token. Will Silk enter with it slipped on her finger too? We can only wait! Silk volunteered for her sister, Satin, after it was announced the siblings would be split up when Satin's name was originally chosen. My secret reports inform me that she is a generally good student at the top academy in One and despite being only twelve, shows much promise in these Games. Being from One, we all know she will end up with the Careers, but I doubt she will survive long, once they've eliminated their enemies and start fighting amongst themselves!

On the other hand, her male counterpart, Steel, seems like a far more formidable opponent. His work in the academy is also top standard, and rumour has it, he had something going on with Silk's sister... We can't deny she has good taste! His brother Vinyl won twelve years ago at the age of fifteen and when he did, he moved his siblings and parents into his house in the Victor's Village, meaning that Steel has always had a lovely roof over his head and never really had to try for anything! He too will be part of the Career alliance and maybe he'll be the one to end poor Silk... He'll go far!

Swiftly onto our third and fourth Tributes, Abana and Carter:

Abana is the daughter of District Two's best Peacekeeper trainer, much like her sister and Mentor, Casey. However, she is unlike one may expect her to be, as the top academy calls her 'timid and reluctant to join in with any Game related practice.' This is rather unusual for a Two Tribute, who are normally throwing themselves into straight into the action. Unfortunately, being the only girl related to the current Mentors within twelve and eighteen, she was bound to go in. It was also her twelfth birthday just four weeks ago. Nobody expects her to win, but instead the majority of bets already placed indicate she is expected to die within the first three days! Watch out Abana...

Again, it certainly seems to be the boy of the District who'll make it far! Meet Carter, who's thirteen and may as well be from Seven with his axe skills. If he's anything like the rebel Finnick Odair, 65th Victor, he'll win on looks alone! Carter's parents died when he was nine, leaving his elder sister to take care of him. His Mentor is his brother-in-law, who returned from the 98th Games as Victor before marrying Carter's sister, making Carter (and his own four brothers) eligible for the Reaping this year. He'll certainly be part of the Career alliance and may even make the top ten, an enormous achievement for a thirteen year old, but will probably be killed by another Career when the alliance breaks and they turn on each other.

District Three, next! They threw in a mighty surprise this year with Capella. The initially strong young woman was reduced to a sobbing heap, leaving Peacekeepers to almost drag her up the stairs to the podium. We can't really blame her though; her family has a particularly bad experience with the Games and volunteering. Before she started crying, I thought she might actually have a chance with the Careers; she looks strong enough to be able to make it far but once they've seen her crying, she'll be an obvious target. Let's hope she's as strong as she looks, or it may be an extremely quick run in the arena for this District Three girl and a painful death at the hands of the merciless Careers.

Nell is more like the Three we consider normal. He appears to be the quiet, inventing type, with dark brown eyes and hair, but milky white skin from the time he obviously spends pouring over the electronic screens they create. He'll be gone in the first day; his mother will be so disappointed in him. Either disappointed or driven mad by depression...

Coralie is next up. The sea born-and-bred beauty of District Four with dark hair and hazel eyes. She has one large advantage on the others; she'll be one of the only Tributes with the ability to swim. She's also an obvious Career, the strength visible in her body. Probably a natural with knives, all the time, gutting the fishes her parents catch for the local market. She's going far too, and it most certainly won't be a fellow Career that kills her... Maybe she'll fall victim to the mutated animals we place in the arena. At least that way, there'll be lots of blood!

Her district partner is the eighteen year old Colbert. He's seen plenty of family deaths since he was born, as seven of his relatives have been entered into the arena, only one of them returning. The one who returned is his little sister Arvia, who won three years ago at the age of fourteen. Unlike Coralie, he is definitely not a Career and never will be. He is reported to have never attended an academy session and has therefore no experience of any Game related activities and no methods to defend himself whatsoever. Maybe he'll find an ally in Abana, and they'll be found and killed together. We can hope Capitol crowd, we can hope.

The arena seems to be full of youngsters this year, as yet another twelve year old will enter, little Loretta from Five. She appears to have little means of defending herself, but you never really know! We'll have to wait for the Training Scores to see if she's a potential victor. But between you and me, I doubt she'll make it a mile away from the Cornucopia before the Careers track her down and kill the poor girl. But, hey, they were the ones who rebelled- twice might I add- and left themselves in this position, not us!

I swear the names of the children get sillier every year too. Krocker? Who would torture their child by calling it Krocker? Why not give them a normal name, like Cerise or Tanaquil? Anyway, away from the stupid name, this boy appears to be a bright spark. He's talented with a bow- apparently- and has general survival instincts. Unfortunately, he's half deaf on his right side, meaning he won't last long in these games.

Neah represents the girls of Six this year, her flame red hair lighting the way straight into an early grave. After her parents died when she was a baby in a train accident, Neah and her brother were moved to an orphanage and raised there. She always lived there- until the Reaping that is- and her Mentor is her uncle, who cannot stand her. Having lived in the orphanage her whole life, she has had nothing to help her learn how to survive, meaning it is highly unlikely she'll get anywhere near the top ten. Shame!

On the other side of the scale, is Giles. His Father (and Mentor) is the Mayor of Six, elected after he won the Games twenty years ago. The family was keen to get Giles as prepared as possible in the unlikely event that he was indeed Reaped. Lucky they did if you ask me, especially since he's brilliant with a bow and arrow. Reminds me of someone significant... Hopefully he won't suffer the same fate as her in the arena, but you never know! It is unlikely he will have any allies, as his confident stride made him look much like a lone wolf than part of a pack.

Now, Clarys also throws up a bit of a different image for the girls of Seven. Her weapon is reportedly a spear, not an axe like one may expect. She also supposedly has good aim. Quite a lot of potential, maybe she'll join up with the Careers... Anyone else think so too, or just me? Her parents died when she was a baby, (strange the amount of times that pops up this year), so she has been living with her three elder brothers in a house far inferior to that of her eldest brother, who won nine years ago. He won through a rather bizarre tactic of just sitting in the Cornucopia for the entire time and only exiting when he needed food or water. Clever, but very odd! Maybe she'll try the same thing...

Representing the males for Seven is Clement! Named clearly for his looks, is hair is like an orange has been stuck on top of his head, especially because of those huge curls! As most would expect, he is gifted with an axe, as he has undoubtedly been wielding one since he could walk, talk and be trusted with it! The work has made him strong, but not quite strong enough to be a Career, not that they'd want him even if he was. My reports inform me he isn't the brightest spark, or the sharpest knife, and to be completely fair, I wouldn't put it past him to die on the first day due to his stupidity. Maybe if he had more brains, he'd make it somewhere, but he doesn't, so he probably won't!

Next up is our potential winner, Malinda. She's stunning, to put it frankly. Maybe when she makes it out she'd be interested in a gorgeous bookmaker like me... Her years of work in the textile industry of Eight have left her with a brilliant eye for knots, possibly giving her a hunting advantage over the other Tributes. She's also good with a spear, apparently, and has been getting lessons from her cousin, who is her Mentor and won twelve years ago at the 88th Games. It was spear work that got him through the brutal rainforest-like arena, maybe it will help Malinda get through too (fingers crossed all the way!).

Wakler seems like someone without a chance too. He's from the richest part of Eight there is, his brother is married to the Mayor's daughter after all, so of course he would be! It isn't his brother that is his Mentor though, but in fact his Mother. She won twenty two years ago and after returning to Eight, married a rich young man and had two sons. Wakler is the younger of the two at age fifteen and it is quite clear in this case he did not inherit his Mother's intelligence or capability with any weapons whatsoever. Say goodbye to your son; he's gone, but it won't be in the first week. It's probably more likely to be a natural death- such a misfortune for us...

Annapurna makes quite an entrance on her name alone- see what I mean, sillier every year! Her appearance is also rather bizarre for a district girl too, her hair being dark brown on the top reaching down to sandy blonde at the tips. Her eyes are also strange; one is a sparkling blue, the other a murky brown. Not that this will give her any advantage in the arena, it's survival skills that make the difference between life and death in there. We don't really expect her to go far, being as completely unfamiliar with weapons as she is, but she doesn't look stupid enough to throw herself straight into the action. Maybe she'll last a week, but I honestly doubt it.

Lahmi doesn't seem to have much of a chance at all. His small size is an obvious disadvantage, as is his family's background. From the poorest part of Nine, they have worked for years in the grain industry, receiving only enough to survive on, nothing else. His sister only won from fluke after she was the only one far enough away from the giant mutated sea turtles. I doubt though, he will have the same unbelievable luck as she did... He's going to be dead within a week, possibly at the Cornucopia bloodbath. Or maybe he's purposly hiding his skill...

So different from her fierce sister, Dakota truly has no way of winning this Quell. You could tell by the breakdown she had after she was reaped that she knew she wasn't going to be returning to the outlining District Ten. She doesn't have any means of defending herself, we can all see that easily. It would only take a quick _snap _of her neck and her time in the Games would be over. The most I can hope for this poor girl is that her death will be quick and painless. What? No, of course I'm joking! I want a blood filled death as much as you, my dear Capitol crowd, I do.

Do you remember Hope from Ten from a few years ago? Well now her brother, Chance has been chosen for the arena. They look fairly similar too, both with dark hair and eyes, tall bodies and hard, unsmiling faces. Maybe their taste in weapons will be the same too, both finding their element with a pair of small blades. Hope was lucky enough to receive a vial of clear liquid and after soaking the blade of her dagger in it, was able to prolong her enemies suffering, drawing out their deaths. Is it possible Chance has indeed got a chance? He seems to have the potential to go far.

Dalia soars into the arena next. Her excess... err... skin, will only be a hindrance to her in the arena, it will make it harder to escape her competition, especially the quicker and slimmer contestants like Loretta and Carter. She won't even see the top ten, possibly not even the top twenty. However, her one skill may be the one that saves her. Her aim with knives is good, meaning she may be able to feed herself in the rare event she does succeed in escaping the Cornucopia.

Dion may stand more of a chance though. His weapon is the bow and arrow although he has had very little practice. The Peacekeepers are even tougher in Eleven this year (it is rumoured they attempted to start a third uprising), and even owning a bow would result in a public execution. Maybe the Gamemakers will realise this and be even tougher on this boy. I sure do hope so, doesn't anyone else?

Finally is Twelve. After they were bombed twenty five years ago, the survivors of the bombings that fled to Thirteen and the residents of Thirteen were forced back to Twelve. It has since been slowly rebuilding into the same incredibly poor district it was before.

Now we have our first brother-sister pairing of the Quell, it can finally start! Both are incredibly thin, tall and have the same bleak, sunken grey eyes, olive skin and dirty dark brown hair. Micha and Janna will not make it far. Like most of the Twelve/Thirteen tributes they will launch themselves into the bloodbath at the Cornucopia and like most of them, they will not make it out alive. Of course, being siblings will give them a disadvantage; they will not want to see the other hurt and will be watching out for each other. This also makes it a lot easier for them to be killed.

That just about wraps up our little Tribute analysis Capitol crowd! So place your bets, choose your Tribute(s) and get winning! Or losing, but you can't always win in life, eh?

Prospero Out! I'll keep you updated, my dear Capitol crowd!


	7. Chapter 6

"Silk."  
>"Silk."<br>"Silk, wake up," Steel whispers loudly, pulling me from my nightmare. "Silk," he repeats and my eyes flick open.

"Where am I?" I ask, sitting up and stretching. This isn't my room, it couldn't be; there's no Satin and the bed is much too big.

"The Tribute train," Steel sighs, his gaze lowering.

"It wasn't a nightmare after all then? I had a dream that Satin was reaped, and I was stupid enough to volunteer for her. So now she's going to be forced- along with Mother and Father- to watch me die. And you're in it too, you were being mean to me at dinner," I frown coldly, looking around the carriage we are sat in. "This isn't my carriage. My room's orange. This one is clearly very grey."

Steel smiles, "Yeah, it's mine. You told me about Aldo, Emerald and Vinyl, also the sponsors, and then fell asleep in my arms."

"Fell asleep in your arms?" I laugh, my face reddening. "I'm so sorry about that, I'm sure Satin would be quite jealous!"

Inside, I feel a pang of sadness, as well as a complete hatred for myself. Why did I volunteer to basically die? Steel will protect me as much as he can, but what about when he's not around? He won't die before I do, but I don't think he'll win either. The boy from Two seems too innocent; probably just biding his time, waiting to stab one, the other or both of us in the back. Literally.

Steel lifts an eyebrow and I shake my head. "Sure. Look, Vinyl came in about five minutes ago and said breakfast'll be in five minutes. Apparently the Capitol is about an hour away. We'll have ages for preparing, and then we'll look even better than they thought we ever could. Oh, you might want to get changed; your hair looks appalling," Steel smiles, standing up, "Now get out, I need to get ready."

I push the duvet off myself and half-walk-half-drag myself back to my room. The shower beckons me; maybe the hot water will remind me of home, calm me, even if it's only for a little while. I cover my body in a layer of sweet, citrus foam but keep my hair dry, knowing it'll only be redone when I reach the Remake Centre.

Fifteen minutes later I'm sat in the dining carriage, listening to Steel, Aldo and Vinyl's banter and waiting for Emerald to make an appearance. My plate's full of delicious food, like rolls covered in strawberry jam, a shiny red apple, a couple of slices of pink melon with a yellow peel and a glass of orange (and-who-knows-what else) juice. But I make no attempt to eat what seemed so appetising only a moment ago. The door opens and Emerald walks in, immediately taking the empty seat next to me. She leans over and takes a piece of melon, but instead of putting it in her own mouth, she sharply opens mine and puts it in there.

"You need to eat something Silk," she smiles. She knows me too well, my eyes are too big for my belly, and I can never eat when I'm nervous or scared. "They might not have anything in the Remake Centre and that means you'll have nothing until dinner. And that's after the Parade."

"Emerald is right Silk, you'll be starving. We know just how long it takes to get Tributes all 'prettied up' in there," Vinyl says to me, a rare show of something that doesn't resemble hatred or sarcastic pity.

"Look at Vinyl mellowing in his old age," Emerald laughs. It's strange to see them kind of getting along. "Anyway don't you two have something to tell Steel?"

"Right you are. Steel," Aldo pries his attention away from his breakfast and turns to Steel, "About sponsors... We've decided-"

"I know," Steel breaks in, his voice louder than it needs to be, "You're going to direct them all to me and leave Silk all by herself to die. I can tell you now, that won't work, because Silk and I are a team. I promised Satin I'd look after her. And if I don't Satin will literally kill me. So, you're faced with two choices; accept that Silk and I are a team and we share the sponsors equally, or I step off the pedestal and explode."

"There's no need for rash decisions." Aldo says. He can't afford for Steel to commit suicide this early in the Games. District One could kiss a Victor goodbye if that happened.

"You're the one making rash decisions, Aldo Archwick. Promise you'll send sponsors towards both of us, or I swear on my mother's life I will step off that pedestal long before the gong sounds."

I stifle a laugh. The panic in Aldo's eyes as he nods quickly is too funny not to laugh.

"Good. We've reached an agreement in this matter then," Aldo smiles nervously, his foot nudging me under the table. I don't know whether it is deliberate or accidental, but I don't ask him.

"Estimated time from the Capitol is half an hour," the automated voice from the box in the corner of the carriage tells us.

"Great. The stylists can work their Capitol magic on you two," Emerald rolls her eyes and hands me another piece of pink melon.

"Magic's one way to put it," Vinyl smirks.

At that moment, the train enters the treacherous mountains that keep the Capitol almost inaccessible for those not using the trains. They are one of the reasons the districts lost both of the rebellions.

"Almost there!" Aldo's grin covers his entire face making him look like a particularly scary clown.

"Don't ever smile like that again. I don't want my last nightmare to be your creepy face," I half-joke, biting into a warm roll as Emerald laughs.

Our bizarre conversation continues for the remaining half an hour journey and to say I am relieved to see the Capitol would be the understatement of the century. They haven't lied about the beauty of it. Even the pictures that captured my attention last night at dinner seem bland and boring compared to it.

As we pull into the station Steel stands and walks to the window, waving at the circus freaks, or Capitol citizens. I follow his lead and wave at them as well. They wave back and I smile. They're all going to remember Silk Magee, they're going to know who I am...


	8. Chapter 7

"Gold or silver, honey?" Aurelia asks, her bright golden hair falling over the cans of spray paint she has sat on the table next to mine.

"Gold..." I reply uncertainly.

"Brilliant! It'll bring out the gold in your eyes too!" she grins. I don't bother mentioning that I don't have any gold in my eyes whatsoever, they're just plain green. "Zethus! Calliope! Majesty!" Aurelia calls in her sing-song voice, "She's chosen gold! We need to tell Neptune so we can do the final sizing!" She skips out, humming an extremely annoying and catchy (unbearably Capitol) song.

I've only been in the Remake Centre for about ten minutes and have already had to choose between being sprayed gold or silver, having red, blue, green or pink highlights in my hair, a choice between the same colours for my dress and having stars on my face or extremely long false eyelashes with gems on.

"Don't mind Aurelia," Zethus pinches my cheeks, "She's not used to having such a beautiful young Tribute to make even more pretty than she already is!" He lightly slaps my cheeks and walks off, his talon-like nail tapping along the tables full of foul smelling products.

"I'm not sure I want to be 'a beautiful young Tribute' if it means I have to stay with you bunch of freaks," I mutter under my breath. Unfortunately Majesty, a tall woman with an orange and red curled wig and dark skin embedded with rubies, hears me and tuts.

"We aren't freaks! We have the best style-sense in all of Panem! You just need to lighten up a little!" she lectures me and shakes her head. She pulls out a nail file and takes my hands between hers. "They are disgusting. Have you no pride in your nails?"

"I'm sorry," I pout, "I've always bitten them!"

Majesty groans and throws them down on my lap before flouncing out of the room, quickly followed by Zethus yelling her name.

Calliope chuckles, stepping out from behind the blue curtain, "Welcome to Calliope's world... I live in a penthouse with those three nut-heads! They mean well though, they just want to be appreciated. For years Aurelia has been designing beautiful clothes for Tributes, working her way from Twelve up to Seven, then to Three then finally here. Amazing some of them, especially that one from Three last year. That was her, remember it?"

I nod. The Tribute Parade has always been my favourite part of the Games; the pretty clothes capturing me almost as much as the Tributes themselves. I had always wanted it to become my talent, if I won the Games.

"Just try and be a little bit nicer, eh? She's not all there, but how many stylists do you see nowadays that are?" Calliope gives me an encouraging smile and sits down on the examination table next to me. "Now let's do these nails."

She covers my small hands in an avocado cream and pushes back my cuticles. Then she applies a small false nail to each finger, securing it with clear glue and pinching it hard onto my finger. Then she paints each nail crimson and applies a tiny gold gem on each.

"Wow..." I gasp, the gem catching the light in the room and throwing it off onto the ceiling. I tilt my fingers left, right, back and forth and entertain myself by making patterns on the ceiling.

Calliope stands behind me and brushes my hair, first straightening it before twisting it round burning curling tongs making it bounce up to my shoulders. She holds a mirror in front of my face and I gasp. It looks amazing and I tell her this.

"Thanks, but Zethus' your guy if you want your hair made amazing!" Calliope gives a small smile, though I can tell that she's ecstatic.

The doors fly open and Aurelia storms in flanked by Zethus and Majesty. "I've just seen that girl from Four. She looks amazing! If Silk doesn't look that good-" Aurelia breaks off mid sentence. She gasps and I can tell she's seen my hair. "Calliope, that is amazing! She looks brilliant! Majesty, get the spray paint. Actually, don't get the spray paint. Zethus, tell Neptune we're switching to Plan B. Majesty, get the gold ribbon from my office. Calliope there's a little bit of fluff in Silk's hair. Get it out for me then go get the gold glitter. This is going to be amazing!" she squeals, clasping her hands together as her team scurry around.

I have to stay very still as they paint a sparkling gold star on my left cheek and coat my lips in the same glittery substance. Then they apply my eyelashes- which tickle my cheeks every time I blink- and cover my body in a sparkly tanned-coloured powder.

"She's ready!" Aurelia squeals, "Someone get her dress!"

Zethus runs out and comes back moments later, an almost flat bag in his arms. I am told to close my eyes and take off the thin robe I am wearing, both of which I do leaving me feeling nervous and if I'm honest, a little bit scared. The dress is lifted onto my body over my head and adjusted slightly. It has no sleeves or straps but it tight enough round my torso to not fall off.

"You can open your eyes now honey!" Aurelia grins, wheeling a mirror in front of me.

"Wow... I look amazing!" I gasp; twirling slightly and making the sparkling gold and red skirt of my dress capture the light and throw it off onto the cream walls. "It's beautiful! Um, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome honey. We should bring Steel in!" Aurelia squeals as she skips out of the room.

"You've made her so happy," Calliope smiles at me and throws an arm round Zethus' shoulders. "You've made us all so happy. You truly do look stunning."

The door is pushed open again and Aurelia enters, followed by Steel and a blue man who I presume is Neptune.

"Silk... You look brilliant!" Steel gasps. He looks just as magnificent though; a pair of simple golden shorts and thin strips of red ribbon winding up his limbs until they eventually reach his chest and make an 'X' in the middle of it. He, unlike me, is spray-painted gold, making the ribbon even more prominent.

"So do you!" I laugh, crossing the room and throwing my arms round him. His arms loop round me and I look down to see them, golden and far more muscular than they normally are. "I wouldn't want to fight you in the arena once I've seen your arms!"

"That was sort of the idea. Make Steel seem like the steely boy his name gives the impression of him being and he'll get much further," Neptune sneers, his overly large nose scrunched up in a display of obvious distaste.

Steel pushes me back and examines my outfit, "You look like a present. All you need is a little ribbon sash and you'll be a perfect gift!"

"Thank you Steel! You reminded me!" Aurelia grins winding a three-inch thick ribbon round my waist and looping it over my shoulder. She places a tiny gold tiara encrusted with rubies atop my head and slips my feet into sparkly red heels. "There. Perfect!"

.

I climb on the chariot, my entire body shaking as I truly acknowledge the ferocity that I will face in the arena in five days. Steel stands beside me, a grin fixed on his face. The Peacekeepers that hold the doors to the Remake Centre- which is basically just a giant barn- make signals to each other and as they open it, I swear my heart is in my mouth. The snow-white horses with gold headdresses and red feathers start, pulling our chariot out of the Remake Centre and first into the critical eye of the Capitol audience and that of the Districts.

The entire crowd cheers as we make our way down the streets, followed by the Tributes from Two, then Three then Four until it gets to Twelve. Each look brilliant- with the exception of Twelve, just a simple and extremely baggy miner outfit- but none so much as Steel and I. Steel who I am hanging on to for dear life so that I don't fall off the chariot and into the street. It's something I truly cannot afford; any slip up will mean an instant loss of sponsors that will keep me alive in the Games.

I hear an enormous outburst of laughter from behind me and look round. The male Tribute from Eight has fallen off his chariot and his long cape has got tangled in the wheels of it. Even I struggle not to burst out with laughter as his district partner Malinda continues to wave at the crowd, not even realising he's stuck. I turn back to the front and wave to the crowds on either side. Steel's hand rests on my shoulder, a way of showing that we are most certainly a team, and his other hand is waving to the crowd, his glistening smile being portrayed to them all.

I feel annoyance surge through me. I feel some hate for Steel and his stupid glistening teeth. Hate for Vinyl for being such an obnoxious, self-obsessed idiot. Hate for the Capitol and their stupid pointless mind games. But most prominent of all is the hate for myself. Volunteering was the most stupid thing I ever did and now I'm going to most definitely die because of it.

How marvellous...

Finally our twenty minute tour of the streets of the Capitol ends, leaving us stood in front of the Training Centre and ready for President Peragallo to deliver his speech. The rest of the districts fill the space around us and I take a glance around to see the Tributes from Four wearing long flowing robes and pearls woven into their hair.

"Welcome Tributes. Welcome to the Capitol and welcome to the fourth Quarter Quell. We honour the courage you all have and your sense of self sacrifice. Happy Hunger Games and may the odds be ever in your favour!" President Peragallo says from the balcony above us.

We all give the crowd a final wave and go inside the Training Centre, where we will remain until the Games begin. Aurelia is immediately at my side, throwing her arms around me and almost pulling me off the chariot. Luckily, Steel's hand is still on my shoulder and he keeps me on my feet. I push Aurelia away from me and step down before allowing myself to be almost hugged to death. What a brilliant way to go...

"Easy Aurelia, you're killing her!" Vinyl laughs, quickly approaching us along with Aldo and Emerald.

"Sorry," Aurelia makes a half-sympathetic face and let's go of me, throwing her arms instead round Vinyl.

The look of extreme horror mixed with surprise on his face sets us all off laughing, causing a lot of the other Tributes to look our way for one reason or another; be it in confusion, fear, hatred or curiosity.

"Come on then. Let's go to Floor One!" Aurelia sings, skipping over to the lift. The Avox guarding the lift raises her blonde head and obviously recognising one of the adults as part of the District One team, allows us to enter before pressing the lit up 1.

My stomach is left on the floor as we shoot up. I feel so sorry for the outlining districts; not only are they so much poorer than us but they also have to fly up so much further. The door opens and I gasp. Even the hallway is more amazing than the train.

"Close your mouth, Silk. It's only a hallway," sighs Aldo, pushing open the door and stepping inside. He makes a motion, clearly inviting us in. "This is the dining room. Isn't it wonderful? Wait until you see your rooms, though!"

He doesn't lie; it truly is beautiful. The cream, white and beige living room is situated next to the dining room which is a mixture of vibrant reds and cool blues mixed in with forest greens and yellow that hurts the eyes.

"Wow..." Steel says from beside me. I quite agree.

"Now, dinner's in half an hour. Your rooms are through there, go and get cleaned up," Aldo commands. Steel and I walk off to our rooms as the adults retreat to the living room to talk about our Arena strategies.


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait! I've been really busy with homework and revision and stuff! I'll try and update more often from now on!**

My stomach jumps into my mouth as the lift drops down to the basement floor. In five minutes I'd have a clear view of my competition, all on the same ground with no advantages besides previous training. Steel stands next to me, his arms crossed against his chest. We're wearing the same; a pair of silky tight navy leggings and a midnight black top. On our back is our name and district number.

The lift stops and the doors slide open. I step out and follow the arrows to the Training Centre. It's a giant gymnasium, basically, with rope bridges and other climbing activities above our heads and the other stations dotted around, crash dummies absolutely everywhere.

"Come on Silk. Your mouth's open and there are flies around," Steel smiles, pushing past me and into the Training Centre.

It's almost totally empty of people, only Steel, the boy from Two and a tall woman with pea green hair and slightly purple skin are in the room with me. It's a totally different story in ten minutes though. All twenty four of us are in present and I examine them carefully. The tall girl with the horse like face from Eight and the girl with the black hair from Four stand out as being the most strong, whereas the twins from Twelve are obviously amongst the weaker Tributes. I watch them sizing me up before looking to Steel, his hand on my shoulder again, protecting me- or something stupid like that.

The green haired woman clears her throat and we all fall instantly silent. She introduces herself as Aqua. "These next three days are vital to your survival. It may be tempting to grab a sword or spear but what about the skills you don't know or are not particularly brilliant at? Try to pick up a few new skills; take the edible plants test, try to start a fire without matches or attempt to complete the Gauntlet. You will be free to move amongst them as you please, but don't ignore your Mentor's instructions. They did win this thing after all. Also, maybe here is the place to decide who you want to collaborate with in the arena. Allies will be vital if you are to survive. Finally, absolutely no fighting with the other Tributes. That's what the arena is for after all. There will be trained assistants if you wish to practise with a human. That is all I have to say. You are now free to go," Aqua dismisses us with a wave of her purple hand.

"Come on Silk, we've got some alliances to form," Steel smiles, practically dragging me over to the boy from Two. He's neither short nor tall with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. He's making his way over to the fire starting station and Steel and I watch with fascination as he attempts to coax a flame out of the sticks. After five minutes or so Steel crouches down and taps his shoulder, making him almost jump out of his skin.

"Hello. I'm Steel and this is Silk," Steel briefly introduces himself and I wave when he says my name.

"Nice to meet you both. I'm Carter, from Two," Carter tells us, standing up and sighing. "I've been trying to get a fire started for ages; I even tried in Two. It didn't work then either, though it gave my mother an enormous fright."

"So you're a Career?" I ask simply.

"Yes. My weapon's a mace, perfect for whacking people's heads in," Carter grins evilly, sending a chill down my spine. Seeing this he adds, "Not that I'd actually kill anyone through choice. I'm just willing to kill to get out." I nod slowly, not convinced he isn't a complete mental bloodthirsty stereotypical Two Tribute.

Steel smiles a little though, "An axe for me. I'll beat anyone, even a Seven boy; not that he's got any chance at all."

We all look over to the ginger boy from Seven, struggling at the Gauntlet. The trainer swings her club at the boy, catching him right in the chest and knocking him to the floor. Steel smirks and Carter laughs. A smile crosses my face; this was going to be easy.

"Who else have you been watching?" Steel asks Carter.

"The girl from Eight and you two. Abana's useless, she won't want to join us any more than we'll want her. Oh, and that girl from Four. Coralie, I think," Carter tells us, craning his neck to see the three people he mentioned. Abana's obviously his district partner, the auburn headed girl practising agility with a trainer. Carter points out Coralie, the black haired girl I noticed earlier, and the girl from Eight whom I also noticed.

Steel wolf whistles, "Shame she's got to die for me to win."

She hears and with a face like thunder comes storming over to us. "Look. I don't know what you're playing at, but if that comment was in any way meant to intimidate me, I'm sorry but it failed greatly. I'll get you Steel. I'll get you," she hisses before turning on her heel and making her way back to the spears.

"On second thoughts, she did look like a horse... Did you see that nose?" Steel laughs, shaking his head in obvious shock. A blush settles on his cheeks, bright against his otherwise pale skin.

"Steel, you've got bright red!" Carter laughs.

"Shut up," Steel pushes Carter aside jokingly.

"He's right Steel. What would Satin think if she saw you looking at Malinda that way?" I ask, using the name written on her back.

"Shut it Silk," he hisses. "Well, we may as well attempt to start our training." He starts walking towards the knife throwing station, Carter and I following like lost sheep. "Show them what you've got Silk."

I take a step up to the small podium and press the button releasing the case from the knives. The cold metal blade against my finger makes me smile as I place four in my left hand, one between each finger. The first dummy lights up on the left, and a flick of my wrist sends the first knife into its heart. The second appears rises from a trapdoor in the floor and I hit it in the centre of its forehead. The third comes running towards me and gains a blade to the stomach. Finally, one drops down from the ceiling on a rope and in a glint of silver is on the floor in a heap.

Steel places a hand on my shoulder and whispers in my ear, "Brilliant. Make sure you do that in your private session and you'll get a nine without even trying."

I nod, my brows furrowing as I do so. Who is the girl with the dirty blonde hair and glistening green eyes that remind me so much of Satin? Steel appears to notice her too and sighs. "You don't want her Silk. She's weak; broke down when her name was called and was literally dragged to the stage. I'm not working with her," he informs me, rather rudely.

"You're such an idiot, you know that Steel?" I glare at him, "Remember? Aldo called me weak? So now, I'm going to have to go and stick up for her. So what if she had a bit of a breakdown? Satin would have down when she knew it was you she might have to kill or be killed by. The Games are basically a death sentence for her, you realise that?"

"Yes, but there's no need to have a breakdown and be _dragged _to the stage. If you want to work with her, be my guest, but I'm not," he says bluntly.

I'm left with two choices; go and talk to the girl and lose the one companion I know I can trust and be left with the possibility of being stabbed in the back or stay with Steel but not see someone that reminds me of the one person I miss the most. I decide on the second option and sigh deeply.

"Good choice," Steel smiles, "Now come on, let's go. Carter still has to show me his mace skills and I have to get acquainted with these axes." The two boys walk off to the stations of their preferred weapon and I remain by the knives for a minute or two.

"You going to throw one of them or do I have to push you out of the way so I can practise?" sneers Malinda tossing her brown curls.

"Push me if you like, just don't come crying to me if Steel snaps your neck," I murmur under my breath, before saying loud enough for her to hear, "I'll be leaving now then."

She sends an evil smirk my way and nudges me off the podium. I walk off, heading to the Gauntlet. The boy from Seven's still struggling; I don't think he's completed it even once yet. I watch him take hit after hit in the chest and stomach before eventually falling to the padded floor, panting and coughing. He's obviously winded but nobody comes to his aid, so I just stand and watch him. The trainer motions for me to take my turn as a queue has begun to form behind me.

"Come on Silk," I whisper to myself as I mount the first step, "You can do this." The whistle cuts through the air and I leap to the next step which is a couple of feet higher and three feet in front of me. Landing it perfectly, I jump onto the next one, bending my knees as I land and using them as a spring to send myself onto the next. I'm almost finished when the trainer's club hits me straight in the ribs, knocking me to the floor. The air rushes out of my body and I begin to feel a little empathy for the boy from Seven. I climb to my feet and walk quickly to Steel and Carter, both of whom are beside themselves with laughter.

"Shut up," I hiss at them causing their laughter to become even more hysterical. "Seriously! OK then, if you think you're so brilliant then you have a go!"

That shuts them up. Neither even make a step towards the Gauntlet and I smile. Who's laughing now? Not them, that's for sure. I smile and walk towards the snares section. The trainer looks bored stiff and is examining her pristine nails leaving me to clear my throat to even gain acknowledgement.

"What?" she asks, turning her nose up at me, "Have you come to waste my time too?"

"No. I came to learn basic snares," I say patiently, although her attitude disgusts me.

"Really?" she asks, her eyes lighting up, "Well, allow me to show you this!" She sets a trap that will leave a human competitor hanging from a tree. Within a couple of hours I've mastered it.

"Nice work kid," Coralie smiles, helping me to my feet, "I'm Co..."

"I know your name. It says on your top," I interrupt her, even though I know it's terrible manners and have been told time and time again by Mother not to do it.

Coralie gives a light chuckle, "Suppose I don't really have an excuse to call you 'kid' then do I?" I respond with a shake of my head. "I was watching you earlier on at the Gauntlet. Pretty good for a... You're what, thirteen?"

"Twelve," I correct her, "And I'm from One."

"Twelve? Very impressive then. I saw you at the knives earlier on too. I wouldn't want to get on your bad side!" she laughs.

"And the same for me. You're pretty good with the knives too, I saw you," I say, not actually knowing her skill level, but just remembering seeing her as I fell.

"Thanks, but that's a lie. My aim with them is appalling; I've got more control with a dagger. They're almost exactly the same but with handles and they're harder to throw," she replies.

"Attention Tributes! It is time for lunch! Everyone make your way to the Lunch Hall. I repeat, make your way over to the Lunch Hall," Aqua's voice echoes out over the Training Centre as we all make our way over to the door marked 'Lunch Hall'.

"Hey Silk," Steel pokes me between the shoulder blades as we file into the room. "Sitting with us, Carter?"

"Yeah, sure!" smiles Carter as we line up and help ourselves to the food before grabbing a table in the centre of the room.

I take a look round the Hall; it's boring and bland- not really very Capitol style- with white walls and a simple black and white checked floor. The tables are just round and plastic, much like the ones I remember from my days in the nursery at One. The windows are like the ones in my bedroom with the ability to zoom in on any part of the city we wish. Peacekeepers guard the exit, presumably in case we try and escape.

"Found anyone else then Silk?" Steel asks, "After you fell off the Gauntlet, I mean." He laughs, far too loudly and wipes away a fake tear.

My cheeks redden, "Actually I did." I look around the room to see Coralie sat with her district partner. They're both silent as they eat their lunch. "Coralie," I tell them.

"Coralie!" Steel yells to her. Her head flicks up and she scans the two boys, slightly wary until she sees me. "Want to sit with us?" Steel asks.

She nods and murmurs what I assume is an apology to her partner, picks up her food and crosses the room to our table. "Silk, Carter and...?" she trails off, unsure of Steel's name.

"Steel," the three of us say in unison.

"Steel, Silk, Carter and Coralie. This is the Career pack for the Fourth Quarter Quell," Carter nods, as if showing his approval.


	10. Chapter 9

The rest of training passes as if it's a dream. The four of us spend the majority of the afternoon together, all passing the edible plants test, even if it did take us four attempts. Needless to say, I think I'll rely on Steel for that area of the Games. The Gauntlet is definitely a highlight, especially when Steel gets knocked off, resulting in Coralie and I laughing far too loud.  
>When training does finish, Steel and I are first to leave. Stupidly, I challenged him to a race to the lifts. Unsurprisingly, he won. He's still gloating when we get to our floor, and see our team, all gathered around the dining table in utter silence.<p>

"What's wrong?" I ask, curiosity getting the better of me. Mother always told me that curiosity killed the cat, but I never understood it; we don't have a cat after all.

"Nothing!" Aurelia sings, "Quite the opposite!"

"We've got sponsorship, and lots of it. Apparently you two were the best pair people have seen in ages!" Aldo smiles before turning and addressing Steel. "That hand on Silk's shoulder, just marvellous! This may be early, but make sure to say you intend to protect her as long as possible in the Games and you'll definitely avenge her murderer!"

"So I'm going for the whole 'I'll kill you if you cross me' angle?" Steel asks, an element of surprise creeping into his voice. "It's not really my thing. I'm not entirely sure I know how to do that."

"We'll work on that, don't worry," Vinyl assures him.

"What angle do I play then?" I ask.

"We've decided either a sweet, innocent girl from One who doesn't think she'll get anywhere or a sweet, innocent girl who is ready to go and can't wait to get into the arena. It all depends on your scores really." Aldo informs me.

I hate the fact that we have Training Scores; one simple number between one and twelve basically deciding whether I'm going to die or I'm going to live. How spectacular. Maybe if I can get the nine Steel says I can, at least I'll have a little bit of a chance in the arena. But the environment is often to different to training - I could still perish on day one.

Noticing my expression, Emerald stands and hugs me close to her. "You'll be fine Silk. You'll get through this, you've got Steel. He knows Satin will hate him if he comes home and he could have saved you. You'll be fine." I nod, not entirely convinced. After all, the Games change everyone and Steel and I are no exceptions.

In an attempt to lighten the mood she pushes me away and examines my outfit. Clearly dissatisfied, she smiles, "They still haven't changed those awful things. They're the same ones as my year!"

I give a slight laugh, imagining Vinyl in one of these outfits. I've seen the highlights of his Games (including the finale of him smashing the head in of the girl from seven) over and over again, and he wasn't the slimmest back then! He seems to have lost the weight in the arena and then just never put it back on again.

"Go and get cleaned up, eh? Dinner's in an hour and you wouldn't want to get gravy down your top!" Emerald pulls me close to her again before sending me off to shower and change.

The shower in my room has everything; thick lemony washes and bubbly strawberry ones, to powerful jets of steaming hot water attacking me from every angle possible. For ten minutes I just stand there, allowing the final hints of makeup from last night to wash down the plughole. I massage an avocado wash into my roots and an orange one into my body, both of which calms me and reminds me of home.

Home. The place I know I'll probably never see again, especially not now I've seen my competition. Especially not now I've met Carter. He seems to be too innocent to be a Career, obviously hiding all of his strengths. But it doesn't add up. Why would Steel form an alliance with him if he's useless?

I punch the 'Terminate' button on the wall and slide my back down the glass shower door until I'm sat in a sobbing heap on the shower floor, my head in my hands. I'm not strong enough for this. I'm not like Satin or Steel or Emerald or Vinyl. I can't do this like they can.

I wipe away the tears and the snot that drips from my nose and step out of the shower, placing my hand on a hand shaped panel to steady myself. A shock of electricity is sent through my body and immediately my body and hair is dried. The curls have been restored to my hair and a run my fingers through it sends a whiff of avocado to my nose. I inhale deeply and cross the room to my electronic wardrobe before selecting a simple outfit, perfect for dinner.

The clock tells me it's seven o'clock. Dinner time.

I walk back to the dining room and sit next to Steel. Dinner is amazing, an appetiser of prawns followed by a main course of rich pork and fluffy roast potatoes. Emerald was right; there is gravy and it's delicious.

A black haired Avox boy places a stand of miniature cakes with a topping of pink icing in front of me. I reach my hand out to take one only to have Aldo slap it away.

"No dessert for you! Don't want you full up for Training in the morning!" Aldo tuts.

Idiot... I bet the Twelve gets dessert.

After dinner we are sent straight to bed. Pathetic really, they're treating us like kids, but we're going in to fight for our lives. Steel leads me off to the side and takes me to the lift.

"Where are we going?" I whisper, not entirely sure we're allowed onto other Tribute's floors.

"I want to have another ride in the lift!" he grins as the lift reaches up. "Care to join me?"

I reply with a nod and step inside. The buttons are so hard to resist so I press them all. Steel steps up as the doors slide shut and we plummet to the floor, down to where I know the Centre is. When we try and enter it, the doors are locked, so we return to the lift, only to find that it had already left.

"There must be stairs," Steel says, "We'll just use them!"

A hundred and forty steps later Steel pushes open the door to the roof. A gust of cold air greets us and I shiver, wishing he'd told me we were going to be visiting the roof beforehand. That way I could at least have a coat or jacket of some sort.

We sit on the floor of the roof talking about home.

"I just don't want to be the one to go home. I don't think I'd be able to survive the nightmares, especially not if they're like Vinyl's are," Steel sighs, "But I don't want to die either. I'd hate to think of all the people I'll never see again, never have said goodbye to."

"You'll be going home Steel. We both know it," I say bluntly. I know my tone comes out harsher than I plan so I give a smile and change the subject. "What do you have for your token?"

"This," he shows me a gold ring inscribed with an S and a V. "It's what Vinyl wore for his too."

"Oh," I say, "I don't have anything. It's still at home."

"You didn't think to take it to the Reaping?" he asks.

I shake my head, "No. The chances of me being chosen were so remote I didn't even think there was any point in taking it. I thought that even if I was by some incredible misfortune chosen someone would volunteer for me. Satin's told me over and over again that some girls in her class would kill just to get the chance of participating."

"So when it came to the announcement I bet you wished you'd brought it with you," he gives a weak smile.

"I sure do," I admit. "I wish I'd thought that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance. It is a Quell year, after all. What if the Quell signalled me out to be the only possible Tribute?"

A tear rolls down my cheek and I banish it with the back of my hand. Steel shuffles over to me and hugs me, "You'll be fine. You and I, we're a team. We're a team."

"We're a team." I repeat.

"Good. Now let's get back, you need to go to sleep," he hauls me to my feet. There we are again with the babying. I don't care though. I allow him to steer me back to my room and tuck me in, stroking my hair until I eventually fall asleep.


	11. Chapter 10

I wake up screaming. It was the nightmare that did it; the fact I was being pursued by Malinda and Carter through the streets of One. They both had weapons, Malinda a spear and Carter the mace he was telling Steel and I about yesterday. I was running for what seemed like hours until Malinda's spear left her hand and lodged it between my shoulder blades, knocking me to the floor. Instead of dying like I should have done, I was lifted by Malinda in order for Carter to smash my face in.

I am still shaking when it comes to breakfast, and despite Emerald's gentle coaxing and my rumbling stomach, I eat nothing. I am glad of my lack of food when we reach the Centre, as the slightly musty air threatens to ensure my dinner from last night makes a return.

We are quickly dismissed and the rest of the day is wasted on me. I should just stay in my room, and been anywhere else but here. I just follow Steel round all do simple exercises. The only thing I succeed in doing is starting a small fire. My voice is gone at lunch too as we are joined by Malinda. Apparently she's pretty good (must be to hit a moving target between the shoulder blades), and when Steel apologised, he asked her to join us.

The rest of the afternoon is just as pointless; I don't even manage to make a spark.  
>When training finishes, I'm first out, holding back tears and vomit simultaneously. Straight to my room I run, emptying my stomach into the toilet and collapsing on my bed in a dreamless slumber.<p>

I don't even wake up for dinner.

* * *

><p>The final morning of training. My last chance to impress them. The Gamemakers score us on a scale of one to twelve, a number used to represent how long we are expected to survive in the Games and a way of predicting a winner. If I can just get a nine or a ten... If I can just get that number...<p>

I roll out of bed and onto the floor, wrapped in the sheets placed over me in the night. Untangling myself takes a while, but I manage it and go immediately to find food. Every meal I can get is important, I hate myself for missing dinner yesterday. Breakfast is the same as before; toast, hot chocolate, orange juice and melon. In front of me is a cupcake stand full of pink cakes.

"Aldo," I say politely to the man next to me. He looks up from his plate, his eyes wide. "Why are there cakes in front of me?" I ask, "What happened to not filling me up before training?"

"Well, Steel was saying yesterday at dinner that he was hungry during training before lunch and that you looked it too. So you can have your dessert from the second night!" Aldo grins as though he's done the nicest thing imaginable.

"Brilliant! Cake for breakfast!" Emerald appears at that moment, her blonde hair scraped back into a ponytail.

"Cake indeed! Now, come on Silk. What was the screaming about yesterday morning?" Aldo asks.

"Just a nightmare..." I mutter, putting a piece of melon in my mouth.

"Didn't seem like just a nightmare," Aldo frowns at me.

"Well, I was being chased by Malinda, the girl from Eight, and Carter the boy from Two, and... and... and then Malinda threw her spear at me and then Carter smashed my face in," I say quickly.

"That doesn't sound like just a nightmare. Have these two been bothering you in training?" Emerald asks, "Because if they have..."

I interrupt her, "No, its fine. I would've told Aqua about it earlier if they had been."

"Are you sure?" Emerald too, frowns at me.

"Yes. Where are Steel and Vinyl?" I ask, changing the subject.

"They've gone down for a little bit of one-to-one training," she says calmly. I can tell she's annoyed about it but won't make it apparent in front of me and Aldo.

We eat breakfast in silence and when it reaches ten to ten, I walk alone to the lift and make the ride solo. No Steel to calm my nerves, no Steel to guard me from the glares of the other Tributes, and no Steel to protect me from Malinda and Carter. But at least I have Coralie.

When everyone else has arrived (Steel included), we are dismissed. We only have the morning. The afternoon is taken up by private sessions. It's vital for me especially; I missed all of yesterday because of a nightmare.

"Silk, you stay with Carter. Malinda and Coralie will stay with me," Steel explains. He doesn't notice that I've cringed considerably, and continues, "I want a full examination of each and every Tribute we consider to be a threat. Got it? Full examination. But Silk, specifically concentrate on training."

I nod, and Carter and I gravitate over to the Gauntlet. There's already a queue, perfect for examining those which have the ability to complete it. The boy from Seven's trying again, with the same result as day one. But the girl from Three succeeds in getting to the end, and avoiding the swinging clubs of the assistants.

"Her," I whisper to Carter, pointing to the girl from Three.

"Her?" he asks, his nose turning up in disgust, "Didn't you hear what Steel said? I'm not working with her either. She doesn't seem to be much of a threat either, but it's better than nothing."

The rest of the morning is spent well; I complete the Gauntlet twice, manage to almost hit the human silhouette in archery, and even pass the edible plants test! Lunch is a tense time though as we discuss tactics for our private sessions and also our findings.

"Capella," Carter starts, "The blonde one from Three? Yeah, she completed the Gauntlet and passed the edible plants test both the first time round. She failed on making a fire though."

"The brother-sister combo from Twelve. Don't even bother. Bloodbath," Steel smirks, and we all simultaneously look over to see them sat on their own. Malinda twists her dinner knife in her fingers absentmindedly. She makes a quick change in grip and brings it downwards, missing the table by an inch. She wants to kill me, I know it.

* * *

><p>I'm sat alone. Steel's already gone in for his private session and Malinda, Carter and Coralie are sat together in a tightly knit group. They're completely ignoring me. The girl from Three's sat alone too so I slide along the long bench so I'm next to her.<p>

"Capella?" I ask, her green eyes coming out of their dream-like trance.

"Yes... Why are you talking to me?" she asks, visibly distressed, "Did _he _put you up to this?" By 'he' she obviously means Steel, and I shake my head. "Well, I don't need your sympathy, One. I don't need it. I don't need it. I don't need to," she tells me, as if trying to convince herself, whilst frowning at the same time.

"My name isn't One. That's my district. And you'll notice I called you Capella, not just Three," I snap back, "My name's actually Silk."

She laughs, "What sort of a name is Silk?"

"What sort of name is Capella? What is a Capella? At least my name is a something, a very pretty something might I add!" I reply.

"Silk Magee," the automated voice calls my name from the speaker in the corner of the room.

I stand and the Peacekeepers guarding the door push them open, allow me to pass through them and pull them shut again. On a raised platform sit twenty or so Gamemakers. I'm lucky enough to be in the first district to perform; they're all still paying attention to the 'performing' Tributes.

My immediate impulse is to go to the throwing knives and just throw them straight at the dummies. But that won't do anything to help them remember me, I'd just be another Tribute. So instead I make the short walk to the knife throwing section and pick up a pair of small knives. The rope course beckons, but if I don't set up the dummies in the right place, this whole thing will be a complete waste of time, making me remembered for all of the wrong reasons. When the dummies are in the right place I climb swiftly up the rope course, both knife handles clasped between my teeth. I reach the top and leaning down, swinging by my legs, toss the first knife at the furthest away dummy, then the second knife at the closest. They both strike the dummy in the centre of the forehead, meaning if they were people they'd definitely be dead. Show them a range Silk... Show them a range, I tell myself.

"It's only fifteen metres or so Silk. Fifteen metres, it's all okay..." I whisper and I drop to the floor. I land crouched on the floor and do a simple forward roll, coming up on my feet.

There is a round of applause and Cerise Drale clears her throat, making them fall silent immediately. "You may go now Silk," she nods, her thin lips unsmiling. She's the only one who looks bored out of all of them.

"But I'm not done!" I say rudely.

"Silk. You may go now," she frowns at me, "Please go before the Peacekeepers drag you out."

I frown at her and stomp out. I know what they're all thinking; immature little twelve year old Silk, doesn't even know when she needs to go.

But they're wrong. It's all part of the act, appear to be far too arrogant for my age and be sweet and innocent for the interview with Caesar. And so far, it's all going perfectly…


	12. Chapter 11

Steel's there waiting for me, his arms crossed over his chest and looking forward as if he's in a trance. I tiptoe behind him, reach up and dig him under the ribs. He jumps.

"Payback," I laugh stepping back slightly, "From the first night of training, and your endless boasting."

"You little…!" he laughs back. "What did you do then?"

"You first," I'm still slightly embarrassed about my actions, despite the fact it was the plan all the way.

He shrugs, "Nothing much. Took the head off a dummy with an axe then sliced its chest open with a knife. Then I cut another one in half and threw the top half into the rope course."

"That's nothing much?" I ask, bewildered. My mouth's dropped open and my eyes have widened. "I just climbed to the top of the rope course and threw a couple of knives at the forehead of the dummies. That's nothing much, Steel. Oh, and I jumped down off the rope course did a roly-poly and came back up on my feet, before throwing a fit when they asked me to leave."

"Neither of us did anything major then," Steel shrugs, his eyes betraying obvious amusement. I've never noticed how deep a brown his eyes are before.

"I think _you_ did! I didn't, but you did!" I smile, walking towards the lift. The Avoxes nod as we enter and press the button numbered one.

The doors slide shut and we soar upwards. Since the glass is clear, before we step out, I see Carter push open his door, shaking his head.

"Looks like someone else's session went badly, too." I say, pointing to Carter.

"Someone else's? Ours went fine, Silk!" Steel says, stepping out of the lift. I follow him and we walk into the dining room.

Instantly, we are bombarded with questions from Aldo and our mentors and stylists, that neither of us want to answer.

"How did it go?"

"Did you stick to the plan?"

"What did you do?"

"What happened?"

"Did anyone else seem to be making alliances?"

"Did you make any more alliances?"

"Would everyone, please, just be quiet!" I say loudly, "It went fine."

"Same for me. You guys sure can shout loud." Steel says, his eyebrows knitting together. "As for what I did..."

He goes on to explain the chopping and throwing again, before prompting me to explain mine. I do so, but there is no disguising the embarrassment in my voice.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! Now for the agonising wait!" Aurelia squeals.

Agonising is definitely the word to describe it. We're the first district to go, which is both a negative and a positive. We're first to go in, meaning we have the attention of the Gamemakers for all of our session, but also means we have the longest wait from our session until the scores are announced. After the stylists leave, muttering something about interview outfits, Aldo shows us a game to pass the time. It's simple really; he calls it 'Snap'.

Using a pack of cards (each with a Victor printed on the front, the seal of Panem on the back) you give each player ten of them. Then, with the cards left over from the pack, one at a time is turned over. If a player has the same card in their hand, they slap their hand down on the card and yell 'Snap'. They win the card and all other ones that have been turned over but unclaimed. The winner is crowned when all the other players have only one card in their hand.

"Snap!" Steel and I yell simultaneously. My reflexes are sharper than Steel's, so I slap my hand down just before his, therefore claiming the card and three others.

Aldo wins though, much to Steel's dismay. "You cheater!" he frowns, throwing his only card at Aldo.

"How did I cheat?" Aldo asks, astonished by Steel's accusation.

"You... You... Err... You..." Steel frowns, thinking of a way to prove Aldo's guiltiness. "I don't know. All I know is that you're a cheat!"

"You're such a sore loser," Emerald laughs, taking the cards from Aldo and shuffling them in her hands, "Shall we play again?"

We all shake our heads. The first game was boring and gave me a headache with all the shouting, even though the majority of it was me. I stand from my seat and walk over to the living room where I shall waste the hours until the scores are announced. It takes only half an hour for dinner to arrive, giving me something to do, for which I am extremely grateful.

It's not as nice as before, but still beats the food we have at home any day. Bread and a thin tomato with leek and pea soup for starters, with a main of rich sausages, mashed potatoes and assorted vegetables, ranging from carrot to parsnip. The highlight is the dessert though; a sweet lemon meringue pie and rolled up chocolate log.

"Wow... Your second to last dinner, and man, that is good..." Aldo leans back, his hands behind his head. "I meant, your second to last dinner... Here... With all of us together..." he gives a nervous laugh, gesturing to us all after noticing the terrified look in my eyes, and Emerald and Vinyl's warning looks.

"They should be on now. Shall we go and watch them?" Vinyl asks, a smile forming on his lips.

"Definitely," Emerald smiles.

We all sit on the sofa and turn on the television to see the seal of Panem and hear the anthem before it disintegrates into the yearly, 'Ranked on a scale of one to twelve blah, blah, blah,'. Steel is first; his simple headshot flashed onto the screen, then a number ten.

"And you said you didn't do very well?" I laugh as the rest of the team congratulates him.

Next they're showing my picture… and then flashing a nine! Emerald yelps with joy and throws her arms around my neck. Vinyl pats me on the back before turning his attention back to the screen where they're informing us of Carter's nine. Capella gets a six, Coralie a ten and Malinda an eight. Unsurprisingly, the twins from Twelve only manage to pick up a total of eight.

"You're amazing! Silk, you even beat that Malinda girl!" Steel smiles as we make our way to bed.

"What, you mean the one who killed me in my dream?" I ask sarcastically, before remembering that I hadn't told him. His eyebrows knit together. "Did I say kill? I meant... She was swill!" I say, a nervous laugh in my voice.

"Swill? What sort of a word is swill?" Steel asks. "And what do you mean she killed you?"

"I'll tell you in the morning," I sigh, opening my door and stepping into my room, slamming the door in his face. He's still pounding on the door as my head touches the pillow.

I'm not as lucky as last night in the way my sleep is dreamless. It's my childhood nightmare; the flames licking at my skin as I burn slowly to death. Only now, instead of the fire being lit by the various bullies I've encountered over the years -Pearl Reynolds, Hero Lyle to name a couple- it's Malinda and Carter striking the match and throwing it into the wood stacked under me.

But just like my childhood dream, I wake up screaming, just as the flames submerge me completely. Nobody comes to my aid; they just leave me terrified and alone.


	13. Chapter 12

I pile the sausages and eggs onto my plate, hands shaking as I do so. They're all watching me. Evidently they heard my screaming last night. Their eyes follow me as I fill my plate and make my way over to sit next to Emerald, the silence creeping me out slightly.

"Right then, we have pressing matters at hand at the moment, Silk. Do either of you want to be coached alone or would you rather stay together and present yourself as a team?" Aldo asks, cutting his egg and placing a piece in his mouth.

"I'm fine with being coached together," Steel says. He's not eating, but then again he may have already finished, seeing as his plate is empty and his cutlery is placed in the middle of the plate.

"Me too. Why wouldn't we?" I ask, after finishing the piece of sausage I was eating.

"Well, you may have some secret talent you don't want the other to know about!" Aldo sighs, as if it's the most obvious thing in all of Panem.

"Don't you think we should have had this conversation at the beginning of the train ride? That way they'd have a chance to work out the angle for training too, not just 'make friends!'" Emerald cries.

"Well," Aldo turns a bright red, "I just... Umm... Forgot?"

"You forgot?" Vinyl roars, the water in his glass vibrating slightly, "The life of my little brother is at risk here, and you're telling me you _forgot _something as important as making a plan for their strategy?"

"Well..." Aldo squirms uncomfortably, "I've been really busy with sponsors and everything."

"Sponsors won't mean anything if they don't even make it past the Cornucopia, you idiot!" Vinyl yells, "Plus, I'm sure Emerald wouldn't want to see Silk die either!"

"Exactly! They need a plan, Aldo. They need a plan rather than just people paying to prolong their existence!" Emerald yells.

"Everyone shut up!" Steel yells and silence falls over the table. "Thank you. Now I'm just as angry as you two about the fact that Aldo didn't think to make a plan, although to be fair he isn't a Mentor. It isn't his responsibility to work on our strategies, it's you two's. I'm grateful for all the work Aldo has done; he may, after all have secured the sponsors that could be the difference between life and death in there. He may have saved our lives. Now there's nothing we can do about the fact we don't have much of a plan, apart from attempt to change it. Vinyl, Emerald, what do you think is the best way for us to stay alive for as long as possible whilst keeping us both alive at the same time?" he asks. Clearly his thoughts had been building up for days, maybe since the train ride.

"Stay with the other Careers but don't trust them. You never know when that knife is going to lodge itself in your back, or who it'll be from. Never put your total trust in any ally you meet, however fragile and weak they may appear to you. They could just be acting weak so the more physically advantaged Tributes leave them alone. Risky, so I don't recommend either of you using that approach, especially since you both got above an eight. The best advice I can give is to get weapons and learn the flaws of those around you who'll be left when you enter the final eight. But make sure you always have enough water to drink. Dehydration is one of the major killers in the arena, almost as high as starvation. Stay with each other at all times; when it gets to the night-watch shifts, if you use them, make sure at least one of you is always up.That way there's no risk of your partner being stabbed in the back in their sleep," Vinyl reels off his best survival advice, the same points he'd been telling the Tributes for years. It's good advice, but not good enough. That's why he's still Mentoring after all.

"I've got nothing else to add to that. I can only emphasise the need for water. You never know what environment they're going to throw you into." Emerald adds.

"Now, today is the day for the live interviews tonight, where you finally get to show the crowd what brilliant Tributes you are. You already know your angles," Vinyl explains, "So we'll split the day into two sections. Three hours with Aldo and three with Emerald and I. We'll work on presentation, Aldo on content. We'll go first."

Aldo stands and walks out, calling behind him as he does so, "Last minute sponsorship deals to sign! I'll be back for lunch!"

Emerald and Vinyl wait for us to finish breakfast before leading us to the living room. After taking a seat we are immediately frowned at.

"Steel, you look too nervous. You're bloodthirsty, raring to go," Steel frowns.

"Silk, too sweet. A nine is not the score of a sweet, defenceless little girl," Emerald scolds.

"But I am a sweet, defenceless little girl!" I whine back, looking to Steel for help. I don't receive any; especially since we both know what I said is a complete lie.

"First of all, Steel, you need to lean back. We're going for cocky, overly arrogant. Maybe have a smirk on your face the entire way through, keep looking at the others with a disgusted look in your eye, as if you can't believe you actually have to kill people this far below you. This is the Games, I don't care if you don't think that at all! All they want is a bit of entertainment to fill their empty days when they aren't sticking needles into themselves or dying their body," Vinyl snaps when Steel opens his mouth to object. "They don't care about you or any of the others. It will give them extreme pleasure to think that you're above the others."

"But I'm not!" he yells back, "I'm not at all! I'm just another Tribute that they're going to manipulate and turn into a toy to play with! If I win then I'm haunted by the nightmares of ending the lives of those with so much potential, but if I lose I'm just yet another kid in their Games. The Games I never wanted to play, never wanted a part in at all!" He's breathing heavily.

"Calm down." Vinyl replies calmly.

The next three hours are completely pointless. Vinyl spends his entire time with Steel - lots of yelling involved, from both sides - and Emerald spends it all with me. Not that I can hear any of what's being said to me over the noise.

"Come on. We'll go and get lunch. I can't stand these two arguing any longer," Emerald whispers to me before walking to the door and motioning for me to follow, which I do. We are instantly greeted by the quietness of the hallway and the smell of our buffet lunch.

After lunch Steel and Vinyl are still yelling so I'm stuck alone with Aldo. He sits me in my room in the chair I know matches the white ones I'll sit in tonight. I sit a little hunched over, a slightly scared look in my eye.

"That's brilliant... Only we're going for strong willed and determined, not scared and frightened," Aldo gives me an encouraging smile and sets about correcting my pose. I sit up straighter with my head held high and arms on the arm rests. "Perfect!"

"I feel like an idiot," I frown.

"You look exactly like we're going for. So you're doing perfectly! Anyway, I'm thinking sweet and innocent and a little bit of sarcasm thrown in there too!" Aldo sits in the seat opposite me and makes Caesar's trademark smile. "First of all, District One's own Silk! Come on out here!"

I laugh; he does the accent perfectly. The next three hours are far more enjoyable than that with Emerald. Steel still doesn't show up, but at least the yelling's stopped or at least quietened down.

"What do you think honey?" Aurelia asks, putting the mirror inches away from my face.

"Wow..." I gasp. My eyelids have been coated in a light lilac glitter and my lips have been reddened. Atop my curled hair is a small tiara encrusted with amethysts. "It's beautiful Aurelia!"  
>"Want to see the dress too?" she asks. When I nod enthusiastically, she walks behind me and places her hands over my eyes, "Get the mirror Zethus!"<p>

I can hear a mirror being placed in front of me and after a few final movements of my dress Aurelia removes her hands from my eyes. I am literally lost for words.

"I... It's... Aurelia... It's... I..." I splutter out. The dress is the same lilac as the glitter and it's made of my namesake. When I move, the glitter on the skirt catches the light and throws it off in various directions.

"Come on! You're needed in three minutes!" Majesty tuts, hurrying me out of the room and into the lift with Steel.

"Nice dress," he grins as the doors slide shut.

"Thanks," I reply, uncertain of whether he's being sarcastic or genuinely likes the dress. Nobody else is stood with us; they're all already sat watching the empty stage, waiting for us to come and amaze them.

When we reach the ground floor, the majority of the other Tributes are stood in a row by districts. We make our way to the front and wait for them to send us onto the stage. When they do we sit in a semi-circle around Caesar's chair and the empty one next to him. One by one we will take our place and spend three minutes answering his stupid questions. And I'm first.

"First of all, let's give a big round of applause to Silk!" Caesar calls my name and I stand, almost twisting my ankle in the heels I've been given to wear. Apparently they don't care how old Tributes are; heels are a must!

"Welcome to the Capitol! How are you enjoying it so far?" Caesar asks, his voice patronising.

I laugh a little, allowing myself to relax. "You're welcoming me now? Wouldn't it have made more sense to do that on the first day I got here? I've been here five days now!" I reply, to which the audience gives a small laugh back.

Caesar turns slightly red; a scary colour against the orange of his lips, wig, suit and his whitened face. Apparently I'm not a twelve year old who can be patronised. He decides to try a different approach by questioning me on my score. "So, training. Definitely made a bang there, didn't we?"

"Well, I didn't find it very useful really; nothing I didn't already know at least something about," I lie, "Plus that nine was easy. All I had to do was cl-." I break off, a mischievous smile on my lips. They want to know what I did, but don't intend to tell them. Not that I'm allowed to, either.

"You can't even tell us one little bit?" Caesar asks. I shake my head and he gasps, "Not even a little sneak peak for us? We want to know, don't we?" He motions to the crowd, who roar with longing.

I tut, "You lot should know! I'm not saying nothing!"

"Well..." Caesar begins, "If you're not saying nothing, you must be saying something. Double negative makes a positive, I'm sure you know that!"

I raise my hand to my head and tip it back with faint horror. "You got me... I suppose I'll have to tell you then... Well first I mmhhmm, then I mmhhmm, then mmhhmmed and finally I mmhhmm mhhmhmm before being mhhmmhhmmed."

Caesar does a sharp intake of breath, "You crafty girl!"

"I try my best..." I mutter to myself before giving Caesar a laugh and leaning back in my chair. "Any other questions for me or shall I just go and... just over there?" I ask, pointing back to my seat.

"Just one more; why did you volunteer for Satin?" he asks. He's danced upon a delicate topic.

"Because I wanted a chance to show who I am. She told me not to, so did my cousin, the one who held me back, but I wasn't taking no for an answer. If I were ever reaped she'd volunteer for me so I'd never have a chance to do something I've wanted to since I was just a little girl. My parents always told me never to volunteer too; they didn't want to see their 'ickle girl' getting hurt. But I'm not going to get hurt though. I'm going to come out fighting. I'm going to win," I say slowly, dragging my speech out so I won't have to answer another question from him.

The buzzer goes just after I finish.

"Well, I'm sorry but you're time's up. I wish you good luck in the Games and I'd like to say a big welcome to her district partner Steel!" Caesar takes my hand and holds it in the air before showing me back to my seat.

As we cross, Steel gives me an encouraging smile and shakes after shaking Caesar's hand, sits down. He too fails with his planned angle, appearing as more of the friendly, naturally good-humoured person he is. Carter does well with the bloodthirsty though, his smile sending shivers up my back. Steel's hand touches mine as they are both on the armrests next to each other.

Eventually they finish. It takes only a little over an hour it feels like much longer. The audience get bored too; you can see it in their expressions. The anthem plays and after the lights on us dim, we leave.

"I'm shattered and it's the Games tomorrow. I need to go to sleep," I announce in the lift to Steel and the team. They met us as we came off-stage, all of them; Emerald, Vinyl, Aldo, Aurelia and Neptune.

"Me too," Steel smiles.

There's no disguising the nerves in my voice as I say goodnight to the team and shut the door. I can't sleep. There's no point in trying. My body aches all over but I'm too scared to close my eyes. It's like the time Satin gave me coffee and I didn't sleep for three days, only I haven't had any coffee. Eventually, after pacing my room for what seems like hours, I lie on my bed and count the cheers from the parties outside. Every once in a while I pick up my name, or Steel, Capella or Coralie's.

I don't even know when I fall asleep, I only know it was a long time after I crawled between the sheets in my lilac silk dress.


	14. Chapter 13

**A/N: Apologies for the short chapter! It's the last one before the Games and I just wanted to get it over and done with so we can start the real fun and games!**

'm woken at dawn and guided by Aurelia to the roof. She doesn't seem the least bit phased by the fact that I'm still wearing the lilac dress and glitter is all over my face from last night. When the ladder drops down from the hovercraft, I place both hands and my right foot on. A short burst of electricity glues me to the ladder and I am lifted into the hovercraft.

"Silk, this is you tracker," a pale man tells me, sticking his needle deep into my arm and squeezing the metal tracker into my forearm.

That's when they turn off the current and I am able to move again. The ladder drops again and comes back with Aurelia attached. Her gold hair is everywhere; must be the electric current. She's released instantly and her hands go instantly to flatten down her hair.

The Avox who offers me a little breakfast looks only about my age, possibly a year or two older. His face looks bored as he holds a tray under my nose, expecting me to be gratefully snatching food from him.

"I'm sorry. I'm not hungry," I say simply, but taking a bread roll anyway. When he raises an eyebrow, I shrug, "So what? I'm not allowed to eat because I'm not hungry? I could be dead by tonight."

He gives a weak smile and walks off. He shows no empathy at all, but maybe, just maybe, he feels a little sympathy inside. After all, I could be dead within hours. Dead, but at least I'd die with my tongue in my mouth.

I watch out the window as tall buildings give way to the rolling hills of the wilderness. I stand there until the windows black out, indicating we must be nearing the arena. A shiver rockets through me and goosebumps appear on my bare arms. The dress that seemed so amazingly beautiful on me last night no longer seems flattering, but is instead crumpled as if I'd slept in it, which I had.

"Aurelia," I whisper, "I want to go home."

Aurelia walks over and hugs me, "I know you do honey. I don't want to see you go into that place either. I don't want to watch it. You know, I've loved having you as my little model. I can't wait to see you on the other side; I've got an amazing outfit planned for your victory interview!" She seems to be just another annoying Capitol person, but she's not. Her accent makes her origins obvious, but in personality, she could be from One.

We leave the hovercraft when it lands and follow the Peacekeepers to the Launch Room. I'll be the only one to use it; it seems like a little bit of a waste if you ask me. There are so many starving families in the outlying districts yet they're making twenty four rooms under a giant arena every year, that will only be used once each.

Aurelia opens the bag to reveal the clothes I will wear. She's had no say in the matter, and seems disappointed in what she finds.

"Cargo shorts and a simple white vest top. How unoriginal," she mutters, pulling them both from the bag.

"Do I have time for a shower?" I ask. My hair's appalling and I need to wash the glitter off my eyes and rid myself of the odd sparkle that has somehow been transferred onto my body.

After checking her watch, Aurelia nods, "Yes, I suppose so. Just be quick."  
>I am. There aren't a range of options like there are in the Training Centre, only one choice of each thing. Within ten minutes I'm out and allowing Aurelia to towel dry my hair. She splits my hair into two and puts it into two high ponytails.<p>

"There," she smiles, helping me into my outfit and straightening out all the small creases. "All that's left is this..." She passes me a hat, the same colour as my shorts and I put it on my head before allowing her to put my leather shoes on.

"It's going to be scorching hot. Some barren wasteland, probably," I sigh. I hate it when it's too hot; I burn far too easily.

When I mention that to Aurelia she nods understandingly, "I'll tell the others about that. Vital thing from sponsors."

"Five minutes until launch," a pleasant female voice tells me from the corner of the room. The clock in the corner tells me that it's five to ten. Apparently we'd been in the hovercraft for longer than I originally thought.

"Last bits of advice. Stay with Steel. Stay out of danger. Trust no-one. Make sure you always have enough water." And with that, Aurelia throws her arms around me once again.  
>I take a shaky step towards the glass tube of doom. My heart feels like a hummingbird's, thumping against my ribs. I'm going to die in this place, never to see Satin, Mother or Father again.<p>

That final though sends me over the edge and I fall to the floor, head in my hands, tears streaming down my cheeks. I don't want to die. Twelve is no age to die. Twelve isn't an age to die at.

"Don't let me die, Aurelia," I whimper, looking to her and continuing to sob.

"Sshhh," Aurelia hushes me, cradling my head, "It'll be alright. You're going to make it out and live a long happy, victor life. You'll be rich, Silk, rich."

"I don't want to be rich," I sob, "I want Satin..."

"Look, Satin will always be with you. Shell be with you every second of the Games; when you're running after someone or taking watch, she'll be with you," she assures me, "Now come on. These Games start at ten and if you aren't in that tube at that time, there'll be trouble." The attempt at humour doesn't amuse me at all. My life's on the line and she's making jokes?

How brilliant.

"Two minutes until launch," the same pleasant voice tells me.

I stand again, putting my hat straight on my head and taking another shaky step. A pair of cargo shorts, a hat, some leather shoes and a white vest top. I'm doomed. I don't even have a token, something for me to remember home by.

"Goodbye honey. I'll see you real soon!" Aurelia gives my hand a final squeeze and allows me to step into the tube.

The glass doors slide shut, trapping me in the tube of doom. A scream escapes my throat but nobody can hear it but me; the glass is far too thick for anything to be heard. I spend the next couple of minutes murmuring to myself: 'Don't be scared.' 'Satin is with you.' 'You'll make it out. You'll be the winner.'

That's when the floor begins to rise and my entire world is thrown into complete darkness.


	15. Chapter 14

When I eventually emerge out of the darkness, the first thing I notice is the blinding light.

"Welcome one and all, to the hundredth annual Hunger Games! Welcome to the Fourth Quarter Quell!" Claudius Templesmith's voice booms out. He's been the commentator for the Games for as long as I can remember, and he's on the nightly highlights every single year.

I look around and for the first time take in the place I will almost certainly die in. There's nothing but cracked, dry earth and a few mud huts, with tall, bare trees dotted around an otherwise empty space. A large lake sits about two hundred metres away but far closer (and far more important) is the Cornucopia and, its various life saving items. Right in the mouth is a large amount of boxes; any one of them could contain the knives I need to stay alive.

I glance round the Tributes, all poised and ready to run when the gong sounds. One Tribute in particular catches my eye though: Coralie. She's fiddling with the charm bracelet round her wrist, but not actually looking at it. Her eyes are instead locked on the boy from Eight. He is three Tributes to my left, and Coralie is four to my right.

Forty seconds remaining.

Steel's caught my eye, who's seven Tributes to my right. He gives a weak smile, the mischievous glint still in his forest green eyes. I send what I think is a reassuring smile, although it probably turns out as a grimace. His head flicks round to watch Coralie and I do the same. She's managed to accomplish whatever she was trying to do, I can tell by the smile on her face.

"Say goodbye!" she yells to the boy from Eight, who responds by raising an eyebrow and making a rude, two fingered gesture at her. "That wasn't very wise, Eight!" she laughs, raising her arm above her head. The sun shines on a piece of metal and the pieces all start fitting together.

Apparently they do for the boy from Eight as well. Alarm registers in his eyes as the charm from Coralie's bracelet leaves her hand.

Twenty seconds remaining.

The fish shaped charm comes into contact with his pedestal mine. The bang is colossal as the boy from Eight dies instantly. I don't know whether his cannon goes or not; it may have just been hidden amongst the bangs.

The scream of the girl from Five (Loretta, I think) follows after yet more bangs. It looks like the debris of Eight boy's explosion have activated Loretta's mines too. I smile to myself; whatever my first impressions were of Coralie, I'm now glad we're on the same side!

With one second remaining, I leap off the pedestal, high into the air. It takes me longer than a second to land, so by the time the gong has sounded and the rest of my competition has left their pedestal, I'm already half way to the Cornucopia, searching for my knives.

I'm terrified, but can't let the cameras see that. I can't afford to lose a single sponsor. Kneeling down, I start to file through the boxes.

"Silk!" Steel yells. He's about ten metres away, crouching to pick up the axe that sits inches away from him. "Behind you!"

The girl from Eleven is two metres away from me, her left arm round the knives. My knives. In her right hand is a large knife, and on her face is a psychotic grin. I've seen her practice in training; she's good, but good isn't enough to survive here.

The knife lands inches from my left knee and I pick it up. Luckily, my left hand is my throwing hand, so I send it back to her. It lodges in her chest and she falls to the ground backwards. I crawl over to her and pull the knife from her chest and arms.

"Good to have you," I whisper to them before taking aim at the boy from Three.

A scream breaks my concentration as I watch Malinda thrust her spear into the stomach of the boy from Twelve. It's his twin that screams though, her grey eyes wide with hatred and fear. She's begging Malinda to be set free, her fingers clasping round the backpack that she and her brother were running for. A sly smirk appears over Malinda's lips and the girl clambers to her feet and runs.

"Sorry Twelve, but I didn't get to where I am through honesty!" Malinda yells, bringing her arm back and then throwing the spear at the girl. It hits her - right between the shoulder blades.

That's what makes me freak out. The fact that somehow my subconscious thoughts know that the girl I've allied with could kill me as I try to escape her.

"Silk. What's wrong?" Steel yells over to me, seeing the shaking of my hand. He calls over so casually despite the fact he's murdering the boy from Three as he does so. It's scary.

I shake my head, indicating that I'm fine and watch the carnage, pretending to take aim every so often. The family of the girl I killed hates my guts. I killed a person. It's different with dummies, they're just filled with fluff, and nobody loses anyone or anything if one of them is sliced to pieces.

I wave of guilt washes over as I realise the consequences of my actions. I'd just killed a living person, someone who will be missed by a family back home. Years of watching Tributes murder each other on screen couldn't have prepared me for what I'm seeing first-hand. I realise just how much I've been manipulated by the Capitol. In a sick, twisted way, the Games have been fun to watch. I've never been close to anyone who's been Reaped, besides Emerald, although I don't always count her in that.

I acted in self-defence, I tell myself. Had I not have thrown the knife back at her, it would be both of us dead. Steel would avenge my death. Two weeping families instead of just that girl's.

When I'm eventually done mulling over my morals, I realise the only thing I currently have to defend myself and stay alive are five knives. Knives won't store the water I need to stay alive. The backpack! The girl from Twelve had a backpack.

I clamber to my feet and run for it, dropping all but one knife on the floor. The majority of the murders have already been committed, so there's nobody to avoid. The girl still has the spear between her shoulder blades and she lying chest down on the floor with her head turned so the right cheek is pressed to the ground. Her fingers are still wrapped around the handle of the backpack but not tightly enough that I have to break anything to get it out of her clasp.

"Coralie! Malinda! Go check they're all dead!" Steel barks out, wiping his axe blade on the shirt of the boy from Three. This isn't the Steel I've got to know better over the course of our time in the Capitol. He's different; bloodthirsty, menacing and willing to do anything to get out of this place alive. I wouldn't put it past him to slit the throat of his district partner while she sleeps by the fire.

"Silk?" he yells to me as I stand back up again and walk back to the golden horn. "Have you got anything besides that backpack? It's probably empty and I'd rather not stay around here for any longer than we have to."

I hold up the knife in hand in reply, "And there are another four over there." I motion towards the body of the girl from Eleven.

"He's still alive!" Coralie shrieks, jumping back as the boy from Five jumps up and starts running away from the Cornucopia.

"Ah, leave him. He's got nothing, no backpack or anything, he'll be dead in four days anyway. If we find him, we'll kill him," Carter says, seemingly unfazed that the boy in question is about three years older than him and about a foot taller. Steel could easily take him on.

"Right, we need a plan. The lake seems to be our biggest weapon at the moment. This place doesn't seem like there'll be much water anywhere else-" Steel starts.

"I vote all out murder," Malinda interrupts, "Just wander around, always staying near the water and kill anyone who crosses our path."

Coralie sighs. Apparently she isn't any keener on the idea of 'all out murder' than I am.

"Yeah, that'll do," Carter shrugs. Unbelievable... But I suppose even in the face of death, boys will be boys.

"This'll never work. Haven't you seen other years when the strongest just run around with no sense of any greater achievement? They'll just beat us! Yes, we have superior strength and weapons but without a plan we're not going to win," Steel says through grit teeth, his anger towards the other two visible.

"Well, you said it yourself! We have the superior strength and weapons. We'll win this easily!" Malinda protests. Her fingers clench around her spear and her eyes narrow to catlike slits.

"Fine. We'll go for this all out murder plan then. Don't come crying to me when it turns bad," Steel sighs. He knows he's been defeated.

"Excellent! Now, we have spoils to divide up!" Coralie grins, running towards the Cornucopia to get the best supplies, Malinda and Carter hot on her heels.

"Come on Silk. We need to make the best of things. I'll get you home," he touches my shoulder before following the other two.

"You'll get me home if you die before me. If it's the two of us left I know who'll be going back to One," I mutter.

And the awful thing is that I know it's true.


	16. Chapter 15

The majority of the supplies are untouched until we get to them. Boxes go from being in neatly stacked piles to being strewn across the ground and turned upside-down, with contents taken. I manage to grab a couple of extra water bottles to add to the third that was already in my backpack. It also contains a small bottle of iodine, five of apples, a sleeping bag, a leather belt and a pair of sunglasses.

The shadows fall over me and I hear a voice. "Right, okay. We have everything. Are we going to go searching for survivors?" Malinda asks. She's sneering, again, I can tell by her tone.

That's when the cannons start. First one, then two, then three. It climbs up to eight canons and I shudder. One was my victim and at least three were killed by Steel and Malinda. I hadn't seen Coralie doing anything in particular, apart from throwing the charm at the boy from Eight's mine and killing him and Loretta. Carter, I know for a fact, killed the boy from Seven. That makes seven. Malinda or Carter probably killed the remaining one.

"Almost," Steel calls. He's bent down next to the boy from Three, fiddling with his neck. As I run over to him what he is doing becomes clearer to me. He's stealing the dead boy's token!

"Steel! You can't do that! His family will want that back!" I hiss.

"I know. That's the idea. As a way of showing how sorry I am, if I win, I will personally give back the tokens to their families," Steel whispers to me as we stand up. Then loud enough for the other three to hear, he laughs at me. "So what? I'll sell them for a fortune! Tokens of dead tributes, they'll be worth loads!" I know that's a lie, but it still makes me frown at him.

I laugh back though. "I'd do the same if it were me."

Steel raises his eyebrows at me, "Really?"

I nod.

"Excellent. Let's go then!"

We walk away from the Cornucopia, leaving the majority of the supplies in the golden horn or taking them with us. I loop the belt round my waist and slot the knives into the holders. My hand lies on one and my backpack is swung over both of my shoulders. The others all seem to have the same amount as me and we all have our choice weapons. Steel's axe and Malinda's spear are both clean again and Coralie has acquired a scythe, which she is clearly incapable of, judging by the confused look on her face when she was handed one by Malinda. Carter has his mace too.

After a second glance of the arena, it's not as completely empty as I first suspected. In the distance are about ten clumps of trees, all providing very little protection from the scorching sun. I'm glad for my hat and also that my hair is long enough to cover my neck when I take them down from the ponytails.

I'm almost dehydrated by the time we reach the lake. It only takes about half an hour tops, but I hate the sun. When the lake is metres away I breathe a sigh of relief and am the first to reach it. The seven drops of iodine I've always been taught to use go into each bottle, and after waiting the required five minutes I thread the lip of the bottle.

"You're over cautious, Silk," Malinda sneers, "The water's fine."

"I'd rather be safe than sorry," I retort. Steel agrees with me and does the same. The other two don't seem bothered enough to purify their drinks and finish them in one.

I'm not sure if I wait half an hour but it's as long as I can take. The cool water touches my lips and I lap it up gratefully. As soon as Steel has waited for his to purify we set off. The sun is still burning above us with no sign of sinking any time soon. The nights will probably be freezing cold and I'm glad for the sleeping bag I have stored in my backpack.

* * *

><p>"I swear, if something doesn't happen soon I'm going to have to kill one of you myself," Malinda snarls, "I thought the Games would be fun and action packed, but this is pathetic. I'm walking around a baron wasteland with two midgets, a wimp and Steel."<p>

"Who're you calling a midget?" Carter snorts, "You're not that much taller than me!" His words become quieter as Malinda stands, towering over him, her eyebrow raised and her lips forming a calculating smirk.

"No, not much at all. Only a foot, maybe a foot and a half?" she guesses. It's a little harsh though; there's about half a foot between them.

Carter snorts, again. He obviously can't tell there is no point in arguing so continues, "Try half a foot! Plus, I could take you on any time, any place."

"You're on. If you're still alive at midday on day seven, we fight. Both get our choice weapons. He who dies loses," Malinda smiles.

"_She _who dies loses," Carter amends, holding his hand out for Malinda to shake it, which she does. "And if either of us backs out the rest of the group get to kill said person."

"You're on, midget."

"Come on. We've got Tributes to hunt," Steel rolls his eyes, apparently highly annoyed by the entire thing. He pushes past the pair, cutting off their firm grip and icy glare before continuing in the direction of the boy who wasn't really dead.

* * *

><p>We walk for hours with no sign of any living animal besides ourselves. My stomach begins to rumble and I consider eating one of the apples in my pack, deciding against it instantly. Malinda and Carter would only demand one for themselves and I'd end up giving Steel and Coralie one each too. That would be my five apples all gone, and I would have only eaten one of them. I'll have to wait until later tonight.<p>

No breaking of a twig, no rustle of leaves, no breathing. The sun begins to creep towards the horizon and our shadows double in length. Malinda and Steel lead, with Coralie behind them being followed by me. Carter trails at the back muttering ways in which he can kill Malinda. I'm certain he isn't entirely sane, especially since whenever I turn around to look at him he flashes me a far too wide smile.

"Steel," I whine eventually, "When can we stop for the night? My feet hurt and the back of my neck burns."

"Shut up with the whining, midget," Malinda sneers.

"Shut up Malinda. Silk, we'll stop at the next mud hut we get to. There's one about a mile away," Steel replies, not bothering to turn and talk to me face-to-face, but pointing at the small speck I presume is a hut.

"Are you sure staying in a hut is a good idea? It'll be so... Claustrophobic!" Malinda shudders. That's her weakness then; she hates enclosed spaces.

"But it'll keep us warm. Plus, when it's boiling hot again in the morning, we'll be kept cold," Coralie smiles, evidently hating Malinda just as much as I do. Brilliant.

"I want to get there tonight, not next week! Move people, faster, faster! I'm tired here!" Carter yells from the back. We all start walking quicker and our volume has increased too, apart from Malinda's, who's has plummeted considerably.

"Really Linda, did you expect me to sleep _outside_? On the ground? With this hair?" I smirk, twisting a blonde curl round my finger. My eyes widen and I bat my eyelashes innocently.

This infuriates her beyond belief. "I'm having first watch. Me and little Silk here," she snarls.

"It'll be my honour!" I shoot a sickly sweet smile back.

It takes little under twenty minutes to reach the hut, by which point the sun has almost set. It's not too dark though, and after Steel's use of the straw roof of the hut as firewood, we have a fire burning, thanks to Coralie's matches. She flinches when Steel strikes it though and throws the match onto the pile of straw and the odd small log. The five of us sit outside and wait for the seal of Panem to arrive and tell us the day's casualties.

The first to appear is the boy from Three, who Steel claims as his kill. Both from Five, both killed by Coralie, the boy from Seven, the boy from Eight, the girl from Eleven and both from Twelve. Another wave of guilt washes over me when the girl from Eleven's picture appears in the sky. No look of permanent shock and horror lies on it, no expression whatsoever.

"Eight down, fifteen to go," Steel says, to a round of appreciative hoots, which I do take part in.

We still haven't eaten. Everyone sat round the fire is in the same boat; our stomachs groaning and moaning for food we cannot give them. Until, that is, Steel announces it's time to eat. We all empty our bags and share the food equally as possible, the eldest (Steel and Malinda) getting the most and the youngest (Carter and me) getting the least.

Even so we have two apples, a bunch of green roots that look a lot like cress and a few crackers. It's nowhere near enough, especially not since we've been walking for the majority of the day.

We finish eating and the other three go straight to bed, leaving Malinda and I sat alone by the fire. I'm not convinced it's a good idea for me to be left alone with her, but I'd rather be out here than in there, where my throat could easily be slit while I sleep.

Instead of shivering in the cold, I pull out my sleeping bag and wriggle inside it. It's made for someone more of Steel's size, but I don't complain about it. Malinda looks at me like I've just grown wings and told her I'm going to eat her brains out.

"I don't know what you're playing at, but stop it. Steel won't get you home, we both know that. I don't know what that scatter brained stylist of yours promised but I can tell you she lied. I can tell you right now that Steel won't protect you, and neither will anyone else in here. Your aunt, the one who killed that Katniss girl, can't save you while you're in here. There's only a limited amount of money in the Capitol and it won't all be going on District One's little cutie Silk. How cute, she volunteered for her sister. How cute, she got a nine in training. How cute, her blood's being splattered all over the arena. How cute, her district partner just killed her with her own knife. You've got no chance in here, honey. Not whilst I'm around anyway," she says slowly, dragging out the words and going into a high and irritating voice when imitating the Capitol citizens.

"Aurelia lied, did she? Oh, that's a shame... She promised me that I'd be killed by you!" I lie, my voice still the annoying chirpy one she so detests.

"Oh, she was quite right about that. I'm going to be the one to kill you, Silk Magee. I'll be the one to kill District One's cutie," Malinda smirks back.

I know she won't though. She'd have to catch me first.


	17. Chapter 16

When I wake up it's still dark. My bed's less comfortable than normal and the blanket that covers me is so thin it may as well be non-existent. As I roll over my head rolls off the pillow yet I don't fall out of bed.

That's when it hits me. I'm in the Hunger Games. That explains the abundance of warmth and the dryness in my mouth. Every drop is precious in the almost barren wasteland; I can't afford to waste any of it if I wish to stay alive for as long as possible.

Why don't they just let me die or kill me now? If I'm against Malinda and Carter, surely one of the pair of them would have slit my throat as I slept? They know, as I do, that I have absolutely no chance of winning. Even with Steel protecting me I know that it's only a matter of days, weeks if I'm lucky, before my back acquires a knife and I'm out of Panem for good.

Where could I be in Panem? There's enough land between each district for them to build thousands of arenas, I've been told in school, so maybe I'm close enough to One that when I die my screams can be heard twice. Once through the huge screens that sit annually in the centre of the district and once in person. The thought sends shivers down my spine.

"She's awake," Malinda smirks as I realise it's actually her causing the darkness. The sun's really high in the sky.

"Good. Give her a minute to wake up properly, give her something to eat and then we'll go," I hear Steel say.

Malinda nods and then moves away to collect some food. I unzip my sleeping bag and my hands go instantly to my hair. It's still roughly in the ponytails Aurelia put them in yesterday but I know I look a mess.

Was it only yesterday I saw Aurelia? The last person I'll ever see who isn't trying to murder me in cold blood? It doesn't feel like it. The miles and miles of walking made yesterday feel like it was a week- maybe even a month- long. With so far walking and only the bread from the hovercraft and an apple, some cress and a couple of crackers to eat, I'm already getting hunger pangs.

My stomach groans as I eagerly attack the small strip of meat. I don't know what it is or even if it's cooked well but after only a day I no longer care what it is I'm feeding myself on.

"Did anyone die in the night?" I ask as I lick my fingers clean and pull the remaining meat from between my teeth.

"No," Coralie says simply. She too looks a mess, midnight black hair sticking out in all directions.

My heart sinks and I instantly feel shame wash over me. I'm wishing the deaths of children I've seen only once or twice and don't even know by name. I know what Satin would smirk.

"Thinking like a true Career," I whisper to myself, replicating her voice perfectly. Nobody hears me; they're too busy packing up their sleeping bags and I realise I should be doing the same.

Ten minutes later we're off, each chewing on another thin strip of meat. Our water supplies are diminishing quickly but when I tell Steel about it he merely nods.

"Yeah, we need to refill them. First we need to find someone. I'm not having a day where my pack doesn't kill someone," he says mercilessly. Then he winks at me, but I'm not totally convinced he isn't as completely mental as Malinda.

I take a long drink from my bottle, finishing it. I'm all out. Not a single drop remains in any of them. Luckily we're at another tiny pond and two of the bottles are already full and are currently purifying. I fill the third and drop in two drops.

"Again with the over cautiousness. The water's fine. I've drank almost an entire bottle and I haven't dropped down dead," Malinda says, taking another sip from a newly filled bottle.

If only she did.

I take a small sip from the third bottle. I leave the other two purifying just so that if it does turn out to be somehow hazardous, I have something to drink instead. Malinda's right, for once. It's fine.

"See. Nothing to worry about," Malinda smiles, although not in a kind I've-saved-my–ally way. More of a you're-alive-for-another-day-so-I-still-have-time-to-kill-you way. There's no disguising the hate in her eyes though.

I take another sip and decide I'd rather be the over cautious one than the one vomiting all over her shoes. I watch as the rest of the required iodine drips into the water and take another sip from one of the other two bottles.

"Shall we go again then?" Coralie asks, hoisting her pack back onto her shoulder.

"No, not yet," Steel smiles, "I've got a good feeling about this place. I think this is where we're going to get our kill for the day."

He's right. Within ten minutes a small girl is walking towards us, clearly terrified out of her wits. We must look appalling, especially with Steel and Malinda sat together.

"H... Hello?" the timid girl asks from the other side of the small pond. When none of us move she crouches down to fill her bottle.

"I've got some iodine round here. Do you want some?" Malinda asks, yanking the little bottle from my grasp.

She nods eagerly, her hair catching the sun and throwing it off again. I remember her from training; she had multi toned hair. It's all the same dark brown now. Apparently it's only the Capitol citizens who are allowed totally outrageous appearances.

"That's mine!" I hiss at Malinda, who merely smirks.

"I'm not going over there though. I'm not stupid enough to basically walk straight into your weapons. I've seen the damage you lot can do," the girl says, the venom clear in the voice. She's from Nine, I remember from the number on her uniform.

"Not as stupid as you look then are you?" Carter laughs, holding his mace and inspecting it, touching each of the small spikes lightly.

The girl from Nine smiles slightly, "No. I'm not."

"So you don't want any iodine?" Malinda asks, her other hand resting on the wooden handle of her spear. The girl doesn't notice it, but if she does she doesn't comment or react on it at all. Maybe she knows she's going to die and is glad of it.

"Can you please just kill me?" she asks simply. Her eyes flit around our weapons from the mace in Carter's hand to the scythe resting by Coralie to the knives that rest in my belt. "Please?"

"Why don't we just kill her?" I ask, "She's got no chance. We're going to win anyway and there's no denying it."

"Mercy murder? Oh, that's no fun," Malinda pouts.

"Just do it Malinda," Steel says, rolling his eyes.

Malinda's fingers wrap around the spear and she picks it up. She raises it above her head and releases it. It buries itself in the girl's chest. She falls backwards. That's the last I see; my fingers hide the horrors from me as I slap them over my eyes.

**A/N: Wow... Long time no update, eh? First of all I'll start off by saying how terribly sorry I am that I haven't done this chapter any sooner. Almost a month... I'm ashamed with myself. Second of all I promise I'll be trying to update at least once a week and that I'll try and keep the chapters all around the thousand to two thousand mark, possibly more. Finally, I have something to say about my SYOT.**

**As you all probably know, a lot of SYOTs were taken down a little while back for 'interactive stories' or something like that and mine was one of these. I'm really sorry if your tribute was in it but I will say that once I have finished this story I will be at least starting the SYOT, so don't think you won't be seeing it!**

**That's all for now! Thanks for reading!**


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